Former Employee Pleads Guilty to $60,000 Theft from Oregon City Fred Meyer
OREGON CITY, Ore. — In a striking case of employee theft, Rainbow Melodi Stammet, a former worker at Fred Meyer, pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing more than $60,000 from the store over a span of ten months. Store security first caught Stammet in March 2023, as she was seen taking cash from a self-checkout machine.
Upon police confrontation, Stammet admitted to the theft, citing a gambling addiction as her motivation. She disclosed that all the money had been spent, primarily on video poker machines. Store officials later determined this theft occurred regularly from May 2022 to January 2023, though they were uncertain of the total amount stolen until the investigation unfolded.
After pleading guilty to two counts of first-degree aggravated theft and one count of first-degree theft, additional charges against her were dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Although she has no prior criminal record, Stammet is scheduled for sentencing on August 4, where she is set to address her actions more formally.
According to the Clackamas County District Attorney’s Office, Stammet has begun making restitution payments to Fred Meyer, indicating her commitment to rectify the financial damage caused by her illicit actions. The case serves as a reminder of the potential consequences of theft and the challenges posed by gambling addictions. As details unfold, the community is left questioning how such a betrayal occurred within a place of employment, where trust is pivotal.
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