What looked like routine online shopping has landed Fruitland Park’s former parks and recreation director in the county jail.
Christee Michelle Yoder, 49, surrendered to the Lake County Jail on March 19 after investigators said she used the city’s tax-exempt Amazon business account to buy more than $24,000 in personal items. She is charged with one count of fraudulent claim of exemption, a sales tax offense, and authorities say the unpaid sales tax on those purchases came to roughly $1,580. The case grew out of a joint probe by the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the Florida Department of Revenue, and the Fruitland Park Police Department.
Investigation findings and timeline
According to a press release from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement, the investigation started in November 2025 after complaints surfaced about possible misuse of the city’s Consumer’s Certificate of Exemption. Investigators said the purchases in question stretched from May 2021 through February 2026. With the mandatory 200 percent penalty added, FDLE reported the total amount owed at about $4,730.
Agents obtained an arrest warrant on March 19, and Yoder surrendered that same day, according to FDLE.
CBS12 reported that Yoder had worked for Fruitland Park for 13 years and most recently headed the parks and recreation department. The station said investigators flagged a grab bag of personal purchases, including motorcycle gear, curtains, and furniture cushions, that were ordered through the city’s Amazon account while being paid for with her personal credit card. CBS12 reported that, in all, those transactions topped $24,000.
WFTV first revealed in late January that a criminal inquiry was underway and reported that some city commissioners only learned about it after the station began asking questions. Fruitland Park City Manager Karen Manila told WFTV, “We’re trying to do the right thing,” while declining to offer details because the investigation was still active. The station reported that investigators had visited City Hall to ask about the Amazon account before charges were filed.
Penalties and legal next steps
Under Florida law, a fraudulent claim of exemption carries a mandatory penalty of 200 percent of the unpaid tax and can be prosecuted as a third-degree felony, according to Florida Statute 212.085. The Office of the State Attorney for the Fifth Judicial Circuit is handling the case, and investigators say it remains active. Details on court dates have not yet been released, and local prosecutors will decide whether to file any additional charges, a process CBS12 reported on.
For Fruitland Park residents, the case underscores how easily municipal purchasing privileges can be abused and the kind of tax penalties that can follow. Investigators say the probe is ongoing and note that the arrest and prosecution were announced in a press release from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement.
