Paperwork say Miami-Dade clerk arrested for fraud went from an ‘excellent’ worker to distracted

NBC 6- An worker for the clerk of the courts on the North Dade Justice Heart pleaded not responsible Friday and demanded a jury trial as he faces three counts of fraud, official misconduct, and theft expenses for allegedly stealing between $4,000 to $5,000 from prospects.

Scott Kessler labored on the Miami-Dade justice middle since 2011 the place he assisted individuals in search of to pay visitors tickets and different court-related funds.

Nevertheless, 5 prospects acquired notices about failing to pay. An undercover operation was launched and video surveillance found Kessler apparently hid money on 25 events.

NBC6 obtained Kessler’s Miami-Dade work evaluations since 2011.

In his 2013 analysis, a supervisor complimented how he tried to “talk in Spanish to help with the Hispanic prospects.

In 2014, he was thought-about “some of the productive clerks.”

Over the primary couple of years, Kessler was additionally complimented for his excessive stage of accuracy, work attendance, and personable character. Nevertheless, after 2020 supervisors added extra destructive suggestions.

In 2021, a court docket supervisor mentioned, “Over the last two ranking durations, Mr. Kessler has made a number of errors because of his lack of attentiveness in checking his completed work product. He’s inspired to construct higher organizational expertise, which can enable him to supply a greater work product.”

Throughout his final recorded analysis, a month earlier than undercover cops began recording Kessler allegedly stealing money, a supervisor wrote, “Mr. Kessler is inspired to enhance his neatness of his work product to keep away from discrepancies. At occasions, Mr. Kessler’s work has been unreadable or has errors.”

Whereas describing his work habits, the supervisor talked about Kessler had attendance points, arrived late to work, and was distracted.

Data didn’t present he was ever disciplined, nonetheless throughout disciplinary proceedings after his arrest, the Miami-Dade Clerks Workplace says Kessler resigned.

“Going ahead, I wish to reassure potential victims that my workplace is present process a full evaluate and inside investigation to make sure that nobody is harmed by this theft. This consists of making certain {that a} sufferer’s license isn’t suspended erroneously, that anybody who has paid their fines receives full credit score for that fee, and that no sufferer is distributed to collections as my workplace critiques these information,” mentioned Luis G. Montaldo, Miami Dade Advert Interim Clerk of Courts. Including, “Moreover, we’ve taken proactive steps and measures at our money fee places to safeguard the general public.”

The previous clerk is out on bond.