Bishop Animal Shelter Worker Stole Thousands, Deputies Say

BRADENTON, FL — The Manatee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested the Bishop Animal Shelter’s former office manager after detectives say she took more than $66,000 from the SPCA-affiliated organization.

Gail Lynne Judah’s arrest was announced late Wednesday morning. She faces scheme to defraud charges in connection with the theft from the Bradenton shelter, Sheriff W. Brad Steube announced in an email to media.

The sheriff’s office began investigating the theft allegations last month. Judah is accused of taking the money over the course of several years, starting in 2008, and ending when she was fired from her post in 2015.

“Paperwork from Bishop showed cash from donations and adoptions turned up missing from 2008-2015,” the sheriff’s email stated. “Judah was the only employee to have access to the proceeds from donations and adoptions. The investigation showed that Judah altered the weekly books to show less cash coming in by omitting donations and adoptions.”

Judah had not yet been booked into the Manatee County Jail early Wednesday afternoon. No further details are available at this time.

Photo courtesy of the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office

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