Former Niles worker indicted, apologizes to Niles mayor

Staff report

WARREN

Heidi Powell, 33, of Niles has been indicted by a Trumbull County grand jury on one felony count of theft in office, accused of stealing $731 from her former job with the Niles Income Tax Department.

The indictment came several days after she submitted a resignation letter to the city.

Powell, of West Park Avenue, is accused of taking payments from customers, providing a receipt, then deleting the payment from the computer and keeping the money. There were 11 thefts, Niles police said. She was suspended from the job Sept. 24, about the time she was charged.

A customer raised questions last month after a $50 payment for which she had a receipt had been deleted from the computer, said Niles Police Capt. Ken Criswell.

Powell also was convicted of misdemeanor theft in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court in April for stealing $1,307 from her previous job, from which she was fired.

If convicted of theft in office, Powell could get probation or up to a year in prison. She will be arraigned at 11 a.m. Wednesday in common pleas court.

In her Sept. 30 letter to Mayor Ralph Infante, Powell said she was waiving the disciplinary hearing scheduled for Wednesday and resigning.

“I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank you for providing me with the chance to work for the City of Niles and for allowing me a second chance when no one else would have,” she said in the letter.

“I am truly sorry for my stupid and selfish actions that have caused so much pain and embarrassment for everyone involved, including my family and the entire City of Niles.”

She added that she will be “seeking help for this obvious problem that I have,” though she doesn’t identify the problem.