LAPLACE — Dulce Milagro Michelen, a former bookkeeper for the St. John Parish Library previously arrested for malfeasance in office, maintaining false public records, bank fraud, theft, principal to computer fraud and money laundering, now faces additional charges based on further investigation.

Michelen, 38, of LaPlace was first arrested in November 2018 for conducting numerous unauthorized purchases initially valued at or near $5,000 to the St. John Parish Library. Michelen was arrested again in April 2019 for principal to computer fraud and money laundering.

As previously released, this investigation began in September 2018 when detectives received a complaint that Michelen  had committed fraud via unauthorized credit card purchases. Detectives were informed by St. John the Baptist Parish Library administrators that they discovered  on the library’s banking statement multiple purchases of personal items by Michelen. At the time, the amount was believed to be over $10,000, pending a final audit. Michelen  resigned her library position on August 17, 2018. Since that time, further investigation  and a final audit determined Michelen stole a total of about $59,000.

In early December 2019, detectives began another investigation from a complaint via the Louisiana Department of Children & Family Services  after the audit revealed fraud during an investigative period from December, 2016 until August, 2019 concerning Michelen. The total loss was about $17,000.

Through investigation, DCFS investigators and financial crime detectives” learned Michelen

provided fraudulent verification of her earnings to receive SNAP benefits. Based on investigation, detectives obtained a judicial warrant and Michelen was arrested Dec. 19,

2019 and booked with theft $5000 but less than $25,000 (felony) and unauthorized use of SNAP benefits or supplemental nutrition assistance program benefit access devices (felony). She was released Dec. 19, 2019.

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