Police: Several fast-food employees allegedly stole money to bail out inmates

MICHIGAN CITY, Ind. (WNDU/Gray News) - - Police in Indiana are investigating a scheme where multiple restaurant employees allegedly used stolen money to bail out inmates from jail.

The LaPorte County Sheriff’s Office said employees from a Hardee’s restaurant used stolen money from customers to bail out the inmates.

According to the sheriff’s office, jail staff noticed last month that suspiciously large amounts of funds were being placed into the accounts of inmates at the county jail from a source outside the jail.

The same inmates were reportedly bonding out of the jail almost immediately and leaving with the remaining balance on a jail-issued debit card.

This led to an investigation, where officials discovered a fraud scheme involving multiple employees from a Hardee’s restaurant in Michigan City, as well as several other people.

Police did not provide the address of the restaurant, but the WNDU reported the only Hardee’s restaurant located in Michigan City is at 5223 Franklin Street.

Officials say the Hardee’s employees involved took photos of customers’ debit and credit cards that paid in the drive-thru and were fraudulently using those cards to place money into inmate’s accounts that had low bails set.

The inmates would then bond out of jail, take the jail-issued debit card with the extra money left on it, and withdraw the remaining money from an ATM.

Deputies said a total of $14,700 was charged fraudulently, and the victims are working with their financial institutions to get their money back.

Authorities said ten suspects are facing several felony charges, including fraud, conspiracy to commit fraud, and criminal organization activity as a result of the investigation:

Darrien Ward – Fraud (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Organizational Activity (Level 6 Felony)
Prince Arnold - Fraud (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Organizational Activity (Level 6 Felony)
Kristin Vanschoyck - Fraud (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Organizational Activity (Level 6 Felony)
Madison Zuk – Conspiracy to Commit Fraud (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Organizational Activity (Level 6 Felony)
Anisa Higginbotham - Conspiracy to Commit Fraud (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Organizational Activity (Level 6 Felony)
Hollie LaChapelle - Conspiracy to Commit Fraud (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Organizational Activity (Level 6 Felony)
Carissa Bealor - Conspiracy to Commit Fraud (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Organizational Activity (Level 6 Felony)
Lawrence Armstrong - Conspiracy to Commit Fraud (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Organizational Activity (Level 6 Felony)
Moesha Monique Savanna Payne - Conspiracy to Commit Fraud (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Organizational Activity (Level 6 Felony)
Dylnn Scott - Conspiracy to Commit Fraud (Level 5 Felony) and Criminal Organizational Activity (Level 6 Felony)

Police say Scott is the only suspect who has not been arrested yet.

Police are still looking for Dylnn Scott in connection to the fraud scheme.(LaPorte County Sheriff's Office)

Anyone with information on Scott’s whereabouts should call the Fugitive Apprehension Street Team (FAST) at 219-608-9572 or Michiana Crime Stoppers at 800-342-7867.