An animal control officer working for the City of Palm Coast was arrested on Friday for credit card fraud. 36-year-old Chelsie Willis was accused of using a city credit card to pay for a personal vet trip.
Employees of East Coast Animal Hospital contacted city employees following a September 18 visit from Willis. In the visit she was said to have brought in her dog Layla and used her city-issued card to cover the $386.64 bill. East Coast Animal Hospital is located on Kings Way in Palm Coast, off Old Kings Road.
Willis reportedly came back to the animal hospital on October 6, but not for an appointment. At this point she was said to have requested that her dog be moved from her own personal account to the city’s account. Employees of East Coast apparently told Willis that such a transaction would not only violate company policy but constitute falsifying records.
By Thursday, October 15, deputies with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into the original visit. The next day, Willis was arrested for fraudulent usage of a credit card over $100. She was escorted out of City Hall on Friday.
“The City takes the misuse of public funds extremely seriously,” said Palm Coast Deputy City Manager Jim Macfarlane. “When we learned of the potential misconduct, we acted immediately and worked with the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office to complete the investigation and ensure appropriate action was taken. This behavior is disappointing and does not reflect the integrity and accountability we expect of every City employee. We appreciate the Sheriff’s Office’s partnership in resolving this matter.”
Willis posted her $2,500 bond and was released from custody later Friday afternoon. She has no prior criminal charges on record in Flagler County.
