Woman Accused of Stealing Nearly $26,000 From Falls Company

A Jackson woman is accused of stealing nearly $27,000 from a Menomonee Falls company while employed there.

Jennifer M. Brawner, 41, was charged in Waukesha County Circuit Court Wednesday with one count of theft of more than $10,000 in moveable property. If convicted, she faces up to five years in prison and $25,000 in fines.

According to the criminal complaint:

A manager at Uni Pump Inc., N59W14508 N. Bobolink, contacted Menomonee Falls police officers after he discovered Brawner had stolen money from the company and terminated her. Brawner was responsible for financial transactions at the company and the manager discovered she took $12,084 between August 2010 and January 2011.

The manager discovered when a customer would pay cash, Brawner would write a check to Uni Pump from its petty cash fund instead of depositing the money. Brawner had been hired in March 2009 and had gotten a $5,000 cash advance from the company, but the manager discovered she hadn't repaid it. Although Brawner made $1,250 per week, the manager discovered she overpaid herself on two separate occasions for a loss of $1,750 to the company.

Management also discovered Brawner had a company speed pass for gasoline and had charged $4,480 on it for her personal vehicle despite not supposed to be having the gas account in the first place. The total loss to the company is estimated at $26,315. Brawner told investigators some of the payments to her were authorized by the company, while others were not, but she just "did them." She said the gas card was given to her by another employee who quit, saying she could use it.

Brawner will make her initial appearance in court Nov. 12.