August 17, 2018 at 3:50 p.m.
$1,000 cash bond set in gas station embezzlement case
$1,000 cash bond set in gas station embezzlement case
By Kayla Thomason-
According to the complaint, Aries L. Tatrow is accused of stealing approximately $79,000 from Remington Oil of Antigo within the last four months while overseeing two BP gas stations in Rhinelander and one in Gleason.
Tatrow made his initial appearance in Oneida County Circuit Court Thursday afternoon at which time Judge Mike Bloom set a $1,000 cash bond with conditions that Tatrow not enter any Remington Oil premises and take the drug Adderall only as prescribed and only if he has a prescription.
According to the criminal complaint, the investigation began following a burglary at the Kemp Street BP in July.
During the course of the burglary investigation, officers learned that Tatrow was paying several employees in cash, the individuals in question did not appear to be on Remington's payroll and they were covering others' shifts.
Other employees who had access to the store's financial reports told officers that "a lot of days (they'd) see a refund for $900 under 'SVC,'" and they believed it was Tatrow executing the refunds based on when they occurred, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, the alleged refunds were reportedly executed using a custom cash register button that could only be created by a manager or the owner.
A representative of Remington Oil told police the company did not create the button and none of its other stores have it.
The representative also said the company found no evidence that similar "refunds" were taking place at its other locations.
When interviewed by police, Tatrow admitted he knows how to change the buttons on the cash register using a computer program but claimed the "refund" button was already in place when he began his employment.
After initially arguing that the "refunds" were for the use of Remington's business credit card and thus legitimate, he later admitted to using the money to pay other people to work shifts and for things like truck tires, the complaint states.
According to the complaint, Tatrow told police he was sick of working "that job" seven days a week and had discovered a way he could help others make more money.
When asked about drug use, Tatrow allegedly admitted to spending $600 to $700 a month on Adderall.
In searching Tatrow's property in Pelican Lake, police located two boats, four pickup trucks, a SUV, two Harley-Davidson motorcycles, two dirtbikes and a four-wheeler, the complaint notes.
In court Thursday, Oneida County District Attorney Mike Schiek requested a cash bond.
"There are several witnesses that corroborate the state's theory (of the case)," he told the court.
A press release issued by the Rhinelander Police Department Wednesday named Kayla E. Norling, who is the manager at Hodag Pump and Pantry, as an alleged co-conspirator.
Norling is being held in the county jail pending further investigation but, as of press time, she has not been charged with a crime.
If convicted of the felony, Tatrow could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
An adjourned initial appearance in this case is set for 2:30 p.m. Sept. 10.
Kayla Thomason may be reached at [email protected].
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