A former Oregon City Safeway cashier who pilfered more than $3,000 from the till, a few dollars at a time, was sentenced Monday to nine days in jail.
Josh Robert Anderson, 24, had worked for Safeway for about six years.
Anderson, who pleaded guilty to first-degree theft in Clackamas County Circuit Court, would validate coupons and pocket the cash or activate gift cards for his own use, prosecutor William Stewart said.
Surveillance video showed Anderson stealing money while there were no customers in his checkout line, Stewart said.
The thefts occurred between December 2013 and July 2014, Stewart said.
As part of a plea deal, Anderson also was sentenced to 18 months of probation, 16 hours of community service and ordered to repay $3,100 to Safeway. Defense attorney Troy Sandlin said Anderson already had repaid some of the money.
Anderson recently received a master's degree in counseling from Multnomah University, formerly Multnomah Bible College, Sandlin said.
"He found himself in a bit of a financial bind," Sandlin said.
Circuit Judge Eve Miller, noting that Anderson had graduated from a religious school, said he also was in an ethical bind.
Anderson did not address the court.
On his LinkedIn page, Anderson said he "displayed high integrity as displayed through financial duties" while at Safeway. He also said he had been a mental health counseling intern at New Urban High School in Milwaukie.
-- Steve Mayes