Former Pasadena Employees, Two Others Ordered to Stand Trial in Embezzlement Case

PASADENA, CA - A former Pasadena city employee and two other people were ordered Thursday to stand trial in a case stemming from the alleged embezzlement of millions of dollars from the city.

Ex-Pasadena city employee Danny Wooten and co-defendants Tyrone Collins and Melody Jenkins are due back in Los Angeles Superior Court for arraignment April 1, according to Jane Robison of the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

Wooten, a 52-year-old former management analyst for Pasadena's Public Works Department, is charged with 20 felony counts each of embezzlement by a public or private officer and public officer crime, along with 19 felony counts of conflict of interest and five felony counts of filing a false tax return.

Collins, 56, who owned Collins Electric, is charged with 10 felony counts each of embezzlement by a public or private officer and public officer crime. Prosecutors allege that Wooten directed more than $2 million to Collins.

Melody Jenkins, 47, who had been a temporary employee for the city, is charged with one felony count each of embezzlement by a public or private officer, public officer crime and grand theft of personal property. Prosecutors allege that Wooten gave more than $40,000 in city funds to Jenkins.

Wooten is also suspected of setting up bank accounts in his name and directing city money to two churches with which he was allegedly affiliated, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office.

The criminal case involves allegations that more than $6 million in city money was embezzled over a decade.

Wooten worked for the city's Public Works Department, which was in charge of moving the city's utility lines underground.

Wooten is suspected of creating false invoices for the underground utility program between 2004 and March 2014.

Along with the money that was allegedly directed to Collins and Jenkins, Wooten also is suspected of setting up bank accounts in his name and directing city money to two religious organizations with which he was affiliated.

Wooten was fired by the city July 25 for "personnel matters unrelated to the investigation," according to the city.

The alleged embezzlement was discovered in 2014 after the city ordered an audit.

According to the city, the audit found that Wooten -- a 12-year city employee -- submitted as many as 296 phony invoices to the city.

Pasadena city officials announced in January that the city had received $5 million from its insurance carrier to settle a claim involving the alleged embezzlement. The payment represented the maximum amount of money that can be paid in connection with the insurance claim filed by the city, Pasadena city officials said.

"We are pleased that our insurance carrier has paid the maximum amount on the claim, but in no way does this minimize the importance of our internal efforts to strengthen our financial administration and internal controls," City Manager Michael J. Beck saidt in January.

The city has undergone a comprehensive internal financial and personnel audit, changed or increased oversight for many of its financial processes and initiated most of the recommendations announced last year by a citizen advisory task force on financial administration and internal controls, city officials said.

"The city will continue to pursue legal means necessary to obtain a full recovery of the monies stolen," City Attorney/City Prosecutor Michele Beal Bagneris said.

--City News Service, photo via Shutterstock