Embezzlement charges dropped against Flora Vista woman

FARMINGTON — The San Juan County District Attorney's Office has dropped charges against a Flora Vista woman accused of forgery and embezzlement.

Cassie Davis, 33, was charged on Nov. 28 with a second-degree felony count of embezzlement, four third-degree felony counts of forgery and a fourth-degree felony count of forgery.

The charges were dropped during a hearing Tuesday in Aztec Magistrate Court, according to Davis' attorney Steve Murphy.

Davis has been caring for her grandmother for the last eight years and was accused of embezzling money from her grandmother's checking account.

Murphy said they put together all the receipts to prove all the money she had spent was accounted for.

A motion to exclude witnesses filed by Murphy was approved by Magistrate Judge Erich Cole after two people refused to answer questions and invoked their Fifth Amendment rights, Murphy said.

San Juan County Chief Deputy District Attorney Dustin O'Brien said the office dismissed the charges without prejudice. He added their case against Davis could not proceed without the witnesses.