LOVELL (WNE) — Two former employees have been accused of stealing more than $50,000 from Big Horn Co-op over a 12-month period before their activities were detected in late August 2022.

Felony theft and conspiracy charges were filed Thursday, Dec. 1, against Eric James Stanley, 36, and Laurie Denise Barber, 30. They were arrested Friday, Dec. 2, in Greybull and are currently being held in the Big Horn County Jail, with bond for each set at $25,000.

Court documents detail how Stanley and Barber, co-workers at the Greybull store, allegedly initiated 162 fraudulent returns and refunded to themselves $11,565 in cash and $38,674 in credit to their debit cards, totaling $50,139, between Aug. 26, 2021, and Aug. 17, 2022.

Greybull officers who executed search warrants of Stanley and Barber’s home and vehicles seized notebooks, debit cards and cellphones that were used in commission of the alleged crimes. 

In the affidavit, Greybull officer Drew Patrick states, “From initial review of the security footage and documents provided by Big Horn Coop, it appears that Stanley and Barber would enter item numbers associated with Co-op inventory into the computer and initiate a return of that item. The returns did not appear to be connected to any legitimate purchase.

“In order to process the return, Stanley or Barber would then place a debit card into the card reader, finalizing the return of money onto that card. All of the returns between Aug. 26, 2021, and Aug. 17, 2022, completed by Stanley or Barber, match one of the debit cards found in their possession” on Aug. 25, 2022.