Woman accused of taking $17K from Dover-Eyota softball fund

Oct. 25—DOVER — After an investigation that began in late September, the Olmsted County Sheriff's Office is recommending charges be filed concerning the theft of nearly $18,000 from a bank account that funds a girls softball organization.

On Sept. 25, deputies were called to a home in the 400 block of Eyota Street in Dover to talk to members of the board of the Dover Eyota Storm Softball Association, a volunteer coached fast pitch girls softball organization for girls 16 and younger. Members of the board reported the suspicion that one of the board members who had access to the account had been taking money for personal use by transferring the funds to their own bank account, said Capt. James Schueller of the sheriff's office.

Schueller said the board members had been alerted to the suspicious account activity by personnel at Bremer Bank who noticed some irregularities with the account. Initially, they believed $15,065 had been taken from the account and placed in one of the board member's personal accounts.

Detectives followed up by interviewing the suspect, who initially claimed the have simply transferred the funds in error, Schueller said. When pressed further, the suspect asked if they could repay the missing funds.

Eventually, Schueller said, detectives discovered bank transfers totaling $17,986 dating back to 2015.

Jennifer Stephans, 47, of Eyota, faces pending charges of felony theft, Schuller said.