Nicole Huston

Kendall Kerlin

KOSCIUSKO — Two women, one from Columbia City and the other from Silver Lake, are facing multiple charges related to a cooperative scheme to steal money from Tri-Lakes Container in Pierceton.

Nicole M. Huston, 38, 4401 West CR 50N, Columbia City, is being charged with corrupt business influence, a level 5 felony; four counts of forgery, level 6 felonies; and four counts of theft, level 6 felonies.

Kendall Jo Kerlin, 32, 1507 W. SR 14, Silver Lake, is being charged with corrupt business influence, a level 5 felony; four counts of forgery, level 6 felonies; and four counts of theft, level 6 felonies.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, on March 9, an officer with the Pierceton Police Department responded to a theft at Tri-Lakes Container. The officer spoke with a Tri-Lakes Container controller, who advised that numerous unauthorized Tri-Lakes Container checks had been written by and to the previous controller, Huston, without the permission or consent of Tri-Lakes Container. The controller advised that Huston also wrote unauthorized Tri-Lakes Container checks to an employee, Kerlin. He advised that Huston was terminated in December 2017. 

Tri-Lakes Container provided copies of the unauthorized checks written to Huston and Kerlin. Th officer found three unauthorized checks written to Huston by Huston and then electronically deposited into her Chase bank account. The checks totaled $2,884.62. 

Eleven checks were written pay to Huston, signed by Huston and cashed by Huston, totaling $6,108.00. 

Thirty-three unauthorized checks were written pay to Kerlin, signed by Huston and cashed by Kerlin. These checks added up to a combined total of $5,035. 

Both were booked into the  Kosciusko County Jail Wednesday, June 27, with $12,500 surety and cash bonds.