Aug. 10—TYNDALL, S.D. — A woman has been indicted in Bon Homme County for allegedly embezzling more than $100,000 from a law office.
Court documents show that Cindy Marie Buck, 47, who was a resident of Armour before the alleged events, has been indicted by a grand jury for a charge of grand theft by embezzlement.
The indictment came after Buck allegedly “exercised unauthorized control in her capacity as an employee of Swier Law Offices” to embezzle more than $100,000 in funds, between Dec. 1, 2017 and July 31, 2022 — a period of about four and a half years. The exact dollar amount was not specified through court documents, although the charge is classified as being between $100,000 and $500,000.
The Swier Law Firm is based in Avon, in Bon Homme County, leading to the charges being filed in that county. Buck was indicted on May 3, and initially appeared in court on June 6. The next hearing in the case is Aug. 29 and a trial is currently set for Dec. 11.
The
indictment
means that a grand jury composed of randomly-selected peers found enough evidence to suggest that a crime was commited, and that the charged person was the one who did it. During an indictment hearing, members of the grand jury hear witness testimony and the presentation of evidence, proceedings sealed to the public and the defendant.
If the hearing returns a determination that there is “probable cause to believe that an offense has been committed and that the defendant committed it,” according to wording in state legislation, the defendant is brought before the court to hear the charges. That usually happens during an initial appearance.