By Jessie Burchette
jburchette@salisburypost.comA former employee of a Rockwell insurance agency has pleaded guilty to stealing money from the business.
Pam S. Bollinger, 44, of 1315 King Road, received two 45-day suspended sentences in Rowan County District Court.
In March, the N.C. Department of Insurance charged Bollinger with two counts of felony embezzlement from Miller-Poole Insurance Agency. An insurance investigator said she stole $11,582 from the agency, where she had worked for 10 years.
On Wednesday, Bollinger pleaded guilty to two counts of misdemeanor larceny, receiving the suspended sentences with supervised probation and 24 hours of community service on each count.
Bollinger was ordered to pay $232 in additional restitution. She had previously paid $15,84.92 in restitution to the agency.
And she was ordered not to apply for a license from the N.C. Department of Insurance.
Vicky Miller, owner of the agency, expressed relief.
“I’m glad it’s cleared up,” she said.
Miller, who has operated the agency for 29 years, said the situation has created a rough time for her business, although none of her customers were affected.
She said Bollinger initially went through the community denying taking the money.
“She kept saying she didn’t do it,” Miller said. However, she added, a state insurance investigator doesn’t step in without cause.
Miller said she discovered the irregularities and notified the N.C. Department of Insurance, which took over.
Bollinger surrendered her license as an insurance agent.