Stephen Memorial Animal Shelter Director Charged With Theft And Forgery

Mahaska County Sheriff’s Department

Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office Press Release

In January of 2017, the Mahaska County Attorney’s Office received a complaint that an employee of the Stephen’s Memorial Animal Shelter had used a Mahaska County credit card for fraudulent purposes. This complaint was investigated by the County Attorney’s Office, as well as the Mahaska County Sheriff’s Office.

As a result of this investigation, on Wednesday, January 25, 2017, the Sheriff’s Office filed one count of Theft in the 3rd degree and one count of Forgery against Shelter Director Lindsey Sime (30 years old) of Oskaloosa. Both of these charges are aggravated misdemeanors and were filed with the Mahaska County Magistrate’s Court. As a result of these filings, the Court issued an arrest warrant for Sime. Bond was set in the amount of $5,000.00

Sime turned herself into the Mahaska County Jail, at approximately 4:15 p.m., on January 25, 2017 and posted bond. She will make her initial appearance in court at a later date.

The County Attorney’s Office and the Sheriff’s Office were assisted by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office and the Iowa Attorney General’s Office with this investigation.

As a reminder, a criminal charge is merely an accusation and all defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.