A convenience store employee was arrested on Feb. 22, after store owners reported she had allegedly been stealing merchandise and money from the business. Ac c o rd ing to an affidavit filed by Sequoyah County Sheriff ’s Deputy Hunter Hutchinson, Hutchinson said he was dispatched to the Git N Go in Gans to speak with the store’s owners regarding an employee suspected of theft. When Hutchinson arrived at around 9 a.m., one of the store owners brought the employee, later identified as Melissa M. Evans, 61, into his office to discuss the allegations. Initially, Evans reportedly denied taking anything from the store.

However, after one of the store owners informed her that the incidents had been captured on surveillance video, Evans allegedly admitted to taking money. She reportedly told the store owner she had taken somewhere between $400 to $500.

The store owner also ques- tioned Evans about allegedly taking candy bars, soda and food from the store’s hot box. Evans maintained that the items had been rung up in the system, but the store owner said store video showed her taking the merchandise to her vehicle, allegedly without paying.

Hutchinson obtained a statement from the store owner and left a written form for him to document the dates, times and items involved in the thefts. Evans was then placed under arrest and transported to the Sequoyah County Jail without incident while the total loss amount was determined.

Later that morning, the deputy returned to the store and collected the completed statement. After reviewing store surveillance, the store owner estimated the total loss to be around $1,395 worth of merchandise.

Evans was booked into the Sequoyah County Detention Center on a felony charge of embezzlement and received a $4,000 bond. She appeared for an arraignment on March 4, in Sequoyah County District Court, where she pled not guilty to the charge.

Court records show she is now scheduled for a May 6 felony disposition docket.