Bank Manager Charged with Bank Fraud

Steven M. Dettelbach, United States Attorney for the Northern District of Ohio, announced today that an information has been filed against Valerie L. Stein charging her with bank fraud. Stein, age 55, resides in Dalton, Ohio.

The information alleges that Stein was employed as the manager of the Kidron branch of First National Bank, Orrville, Ohio. The information further alleges that, during the period from August 6, 2001 through November 20, 2006, Stein made numerous unauthorized withdrawals totaling $139,563.83 from bank customers’ accounts without their knowledge or authorization.

If convicted, the defendant’s sentence will be determined by the court after review of factors unique to this case, including the defendant’s prior criminal record, if any, the defendant’s role in the offense, and the characteristics of the violation. In all cases, the sentence will not exceed the statutory maximum and in most cases it will be less than the maximum.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney John D. Sammon following an investigation by the Canton Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

An information is only a charges and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is entitled to a fair trial in which it will be the government’s burden to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.