Deputy City Clerk Yuliana Morales was arrested June 22 on suspicion of first-degree theft. According to information from the Mabton Police Department, charges were not filed pending further investigation at this time.
On June 17 just before 11:30 a.m. Morales was on her way to deposit thousands of dollars in city money and checks. She told authorities she was getting into her car outside of Mabton City Hall when a man walked up behind her and took the bag full of money and checks.
Surveillance video and witnesses said they spotted the man getting into a blue 2005 Honda Accord and driving away from the scene. Through an investigation, authorities learned the car was registered to Morales' boyfriend's mother.
On June 23, officers with the Grandview Police Department spotted what they believed to be the suspect's vehicle and began following it. The person ended up driving to Sunnyside and officers with the Sunnyside Police Department found the vehicle and made a traffic stop. Authorities did not release information on if anyone was arrested at that time, but they said they seized the vehicle for evidence.
On Wednesday, authorities with the Mabton Police Department said they gathered enough evidence to arrest 26-year-old Benjamin Moreno in connection with the fake robbery scheme.
Police said they believed Moreno was involved in the theft and that he was the one who stole the deposit bag. He was arrested in Grandview.
According to investigators, Moreno is the Morales's boyfriend's brother. Police said Moreno admitted to investigators he was the one who took the bag.
At this time, the case is considered open and active. It is unknown if more charges could be filed in this case.
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MABTON, Wash. - Just days after a city employee was arrested on suspicion of stealing $22,000 from the City of Mabton in what police said was a fake robbery scheme, the mayor of Mabton refused to address the community's concerns when they questioned her leadership at Tuesday night's city council meeting.
MABTON, Wash. — A City of Mabton employee accused of stealing $22,000 from the city as part of a fake robbery scheme was arrested Friday and appeared in court Monday afternoon, where a judge released her pending future court hearings.
MABTON, Wash. — Deputy City Clerk Yuliana Morales has been arrested on suspicion of first-degree theft after police say she pretended to be the victim of a robbery, allowing her boyfriend to allegedly escape with a bag containing $22,000 worth of checks and cash from the city.
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