ELKHART COUNTY, Ind. -- The Elkhart County Sheriff’s Office announced former sheriff's office employee Haley Atherton turned herself in on Tuesday for active warrants.

Atherton was wanted for Theft and Official Misconduct, both Level 6 Felonies.

She was booked and released on bond.

Court documents from Elkhart Superior Court 3 reveal Atherton was previously employed by the ECSO as a Booking Specialist at the Elkhart County Jail.

On or about June 9, the Goshen Police Department received information that the ECSO Jail Secretary was unable to balance the ECJ Inmate Trust Fund Account.

Authorities say the inmate Trust Fund Account is a secure financial account maintained by the jail and ECSO to hold funds belonging to inmates.

Funds are placed into an inmate's trust account through means, such as deposits from family or friends, or funds the inmate had at the time of booking.

Police say due to the discrepancy, an initial report was made.

The initial report found an inmate's account balance of $22.25 had been removed and put on a debit card twice in the same day. This occurred on April 28.

It was found that the Inmate Trust Fund Account's discrepancy was $22.25.

It was also found that this specific inmate was released from the ECJ over a year before the transaction date.

The ECSO further found additional debit cards being created with the funds of former inmates who had been released from custody at a different time than when the funds were withdrawn from the Inmates Trust Fund Account.

Authorities soon discovered all these transactions were completed by Atherton.

Investigators also observed Atherton making these debit cards on security footage.

Officials pulled all of Atherton's transactions from July 24, 2023, to present and found approximately 616 suspicious transactions where the inmate had been released prior to her issuing the inmate's funds to a debit card.

Authorities say the transactions appear to have begun on July 8, 2024, and totaled $26,489.92.

On or about June 18, GPD detectives interviewed Atherton.

Atherton told detectives she started doing this due to financial problems.

She stated no one showed her how to do this and that she didn't think anyone would care.

She then allegedly stated that she knew they would care, and that she justified it because she didn't want to starve or lose this or that.

Atherton then explained how the process worked and how she was able to create debit cards and take the money from the Inmate Trust Fund Account.

Atherton said she used the money for dinner and to help get a car.

She also said she was surprised to learn she'd made over 600 debit cards for people who were released prior to her issuing the debit cards for herself.

Atherton further told detectives "there is not much she can do now but take it on the chin and deal with what comes from this."

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