Jason Vote

A Somers man is accused of stealing more than $20,000 from the Fort Dodge Sears Hometown Store when he was an employee.

According to the criminal complaint, between May and November 2021, Jason Curtis Vote, 40, used one or more computer terminals in the store to create receipts for sales transactions, then processed a return transaction from the fraudulent receipt, pocketing the money.

On 17 different occasions, Vote completed the scam, collecting both cash and debits to a credit card, totaling $20,770.95.

Vote was arrested on Friday morning and had his initial appearance in Webster County Magistrate Court. His preliminary hearing in District Court is scheduled for Feb. 22.

Vote was released on a $35,000 surety bond on Friday afternoon.