BY DAVID LINTON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF Friday, May 16, 2008 1:26 AM EDT
NORTH ATTLEBORO - Authorities say a former acting jewelry store manager at Emerald Square mall stole $10,125 in deposits, then blew the money on gambling, clothes and her credit card bills.
Melonie M. Semple, 23, of Woonsocket, R.I., was arraigned Thursday in Attleboro District Court on charges of larceny in a building and larceny of more than $250, according to court records.
She admitted to having a gambling problem and stealing deposits while employed at Littman Jewelers from Dec. 7, 2007, to March 31, North Attleboro police prosecutor Christopher Ciccio said during a bail hearing.
Semple's lawyer, James Caramanica of Norton, also said his client acknowledged a gambling problem and has the support of her family in getting help.
"She wants to put this behind her and obtain some counseling," Caramanica told Judge Robert E. Baylor.
Baylor ordered Semple held in jail on $1,000 cash bail and continued the case to June 10 for a pretrial hearing. Semple was arrested Wednesday at the police station after an investigation by Detective Daniel Arrighi and Patrolman Scott Weiner.
She admitted to police to stealing six deposit bags over the course of three months, according to court records.
Instead of depositing the money in the bank, police said she gambled at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut, bought clothes and paid off $2,000 in credit card debt, Ciccio said.
During the investigation, Arrighi learned about the trips to Foxwoods by contacting the Connecticut State Police.
A corporate manager for the jewelry store contacted North Attleboro police after an internal investigation. Semple quit work on March 30 and never picked up her last check, the store official told police.
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