FARMINGTON — A Jay woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to stealing nearly $5,000 in February from the Big Apple store on Wilton Road.

Lisa Parent, 49, pleaded guilty to two counts of felony theft by unauthorized taking or transfer.

If the case had gone to trial, testimony would have been heard that Parent was the manager of the store and the only one who had access and the combination to a safe. Only a manager is authorized to make deposits for the store, Deputy District Attorney James Andrews said.

There would also be testimony that only a partial deposit was made Feb. 2, $2,331 short of what was supposed to be deposited. No deposit was made on Feb. 9, which should have been $2,558, Andrews said.

A district manager for the store, owned by C.N. Brown, called the Farmington Police Department after money was missing from the store, Detective Darin Gilbert previously said. 

Gilbert would testify that Parent told him she did not know where the money was. 

A bank representative where the deposits are made would testify that surveillance tapes were reviewed. Parent was seen making a deposit on Feb. 2. She was not seen making a deposit on Feb. 9, Andrews said.

He added that Parent failed a polygraph test.

Parent’s attorney Paul Corey said that the state would have had to base its evidence before a jury on only what people said. The videos were no longer available.

If Parent makes a substantial restitution payment of at least $3,000 by February 2018 she would be able to enter a two-year delayed sentencing agreement to pay the remaining restitution.

If she does pay the remaining restitution within that time, there would be an unconditional discharge of the case.

If she does not comply, it would be an open plea and she faces up to five years in prison, a $2,000 fine and two years of probation.

She is due back in court on Feb. 13, 2018.

dperry@sunmediagroup.net

Lisa Parent (Franklin County Detention Center)