A former East Texas credit union branch manager has been dealt a 33-month stint in federal prison for embezzling funds from her employer. Sabine County's own Haley Maxine Snodgrass, 29, was sentenced after pleading guilty to theft charges related to her former place of work, Doches Credit Union, according to a release by Acting U.S. Attorney Jay R. Combs reported by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Texas.
U.S. District Judge Marcia A. Crone handed down the sentence yesterday, also ordering Snodgrass to pay restitution amounting to $330,351.39. The schemes used by Snodgrass were uncovered during an audit in April 2023 when missing paperwork and unusual transaction patterns on loans she approved caught the eyes of auditors. Employed at the credit union since 2016, Snodgrass moved up from a teller position to branch manager before engaging in her fraudulent actions, as noted by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The investigation exposed a variety of fraudulent activities including creating phony loans, refinancing legitimate loans without the knowledge or consent of the credit union member, and unauthorized transactions on member accounts. In the words of the plea, Snodgrass admitted that she "embezzled and willfully misapplied approximately $281,097.97 in money, funds, and assets belonging to Doches Credit Union with the intent to defraud the credit union," as per a report by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Snodgrass's infractions were brought to light following the due diligence of a third-party auditor acting on behalf of the credit union. Further inquiries by the FBI's Lufkin Field Office, and Texas Department of Public Safety cemented the case against her, leading to a conclusive investigation headed by Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Gaston.
