An Atmore woman who had worked for and with a local realtor for several years was arrested last week and charged with embezzling a “significant amount” of money from the realtor’s business.
Atmore Police Chief Charles Brooks confirmed Monday that Jaime LeAnne McCoy, 33, was arrested by APD investigators on a charge of first-degree theft of property. McCoy was booked into the Escambia County Detention Center last Thursday, June 1, and was released Friday afternoon when a $10,000 bond was posted on her behalf, according to the jail’s booking and release records.
“We were contacted by a local real estate company that had some concerns about an employee who was suspected of misappropriating some funds,” Brooks said.
“We obtained the firm’s financial documents, and when our investigators had looked at those, they made contact with the suspect at her work place and asked her to come in and answer some questions.”
Brooks said investigators questioned McCoy, who worked as office manager at Reynolds Real Estate, at APD headquarters for several minutes, then placed her in cuffs and transferred her to the county jail.
“We interviewed her, and after the interview she was arrested and charged with theft-first,” he said.
The police chief refused to confirm or deny reports that the white-collar crime was a cumulative act that involved checks drawn on the realty firm’s bank account and that reportedly netted McCoy more than $30,000.
“She was charged with stealing an undisclosed amount of money, and that’s all I’m going to say,” he said. “Under state law, the theft of any property valued at more than $2,500 makes it a first-degree crime, so you know it was at least that much.”
Brooks wouldn’t divulge any other details of the embezzlement, except that it “did not involve any client money.”
Lisa Reynolds, who owns and operates Reynolds Real Estate, declined Tuesday to comment on the situation. She also declined to comment whether the crime was apparently committed by a person with whom she had developed a strong personal and professional relationship over a lengthy period.
Reynolds and McCoy reportedly worked together for several years at Atmore Realty before Reynolds went out on her own last year and brought McCoy with her to manage her office.
“I really can’t talk about the ongoing investigation of Jaime McCoy,” she said. “I don’t really know what to say, so I better refrain.”