Phelps County Woman Sentenced for Defrauding Assisted Living Center

St. Louis, MO – Denise Rea Barner was sentenced to a term of imprisonment of 15 months in the Federal Bureau of Prisons for fraudulently using her employer’s debit card for personal gain.  Barner was further ordered to pay restitution to the victim in the amount of $125,576.80. 

According to court documents, from July 1991 to February 25, 2016, Barner was an employee of the Robert L. Kyle Center Home for Semi-Independent Living Inc. She was named as a “Director” of the Kyle Center in about November of 2004 and her duties included general accounting.      

Beginning in about November 2007 and ending in February 2016, Barner falsely and fraudulently used the Kyle Center debit cards to make unauthorized personal purchases and ATM withdrawals.  The Kyle Center sustained a loss of between $95,000.00 and $150,000.00.

Barner, 54, Rolla, Missouri, pled guilty in July to one felony count of access device fraud and appeared today for sentencing before United States District Judge Rodney W. Sippel.   

Access device fraud carries a maximum penalty of 10 years and/or a fine of up to $250,000.00 or both.  In determining the actual sentences, a Judge is required to consider the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, which provide recommended sentencing ranges.   

This case was investigated by the Rolla Police Department.  Assistant United States Attorney Jennifer Roy handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.