Thomas A. Ortiz-Ayala is accused of absconding with about $3,000 he received in error from his West Goshen Township employer.
Police: He agreed to return funds deposited in error – then changed his mind
Life on the lam ended last week for a former Chester County employee who had been sought on theft charges, West Goshen Township Police said Thursday.
Police said they issued a warrant for Thomas A. Ortiz-Ayala, 23, of Reading, for theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property after he changed his mind about returning a check his employer had given him by mistake in November. Police said the company, Judge Mobile Wash, a power-washing business based in West Goshen, contacted them after Ortiz-Ayala received an erroneous direct deposit into his checking account for about $3,000, acknowledged the error, agreed to return the funds – and then disappeared.
Police said when the payroll company attempted to debit Ortiz-Ayala’s checking account, it received notice of insufficient funds. In the meantime, Ortiz-Ayala failed to return to work, police said. After neither his employer nor West Goshen police were able to contact Ortiz-Ayala, police said they entered the warrant information into the NCIC (National Crime Information Center) computer.
On June 14, Ortiz-Ayala was taken into custody about 7 p.m. during a pedestrian stop by the City of Reading Police Department, which discovered the warrant, police said. He was taken to the Berks County Central Booking Station, where West Goshen police said they picked him up and returned him to Chester County. Ortiz-Ayala was arraigned and transported to Chester County Prison after failing to post $5,000 cash bail, police said. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for July 2 in West Goshen district court, police said.
