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January 19, 2012

Checotah teacher charged with fraud

Middle school educator faces credit card charges

By Dylan Goforth Phoenix Staff Writer

— A Checotah middle school teacher was charged Wednesday with multiple counts of credit card fraud.

Patricia Ridenour was released on her own recognizance after turning herself in to McIntosh County officials on six counts of unauthorized use of a credit card.

McIntosh County Detective Dewayne Hall said the charges stem from Ridenour’s use of an ex-boyfriend’s credit card. Hall said Ridenour and her boyfriend separated in May, and he didn’t realize the card was missing until later.

“(The ex-boyfriend) reported to me that it was a card that was put up and used only for emergencies,” Hall said. “He didn’t even know it was missing until he reported it to us in December.”

Hall said one of the charges on the card was for a down payment on a car at a Checotah dealership.

“The allegation is that she used the card for many different things,” Hall said.

The charges allege that Ridenour charged $1,127.65 to the card in June, $2,337.65 in July, $2,078.95 in August, $4,269.60 in October, $281.65 in November and $3,094.31 in December.

The six counts total $13,189.41.

Hall said Ridenour also is being investigated in a similar but different case.

“Her estranged husband has filed a report with me for the same thing,” Hall said. “Nothing has been filed with the district attorney yet, we’re just in the investigative phase.”

Hall said Ridenour’s husband reported receiving a credit card bill for a card for which he never applied. Ridenour and her husband separated in 2010 and filed for divorce in 2011, but are still legally married.

“(The husband) told me she applied for the card in his name,” Hall said.

Checotah Schools Superintendent Mark Calavan declined comment on Ridenour’s status with the school system until he could look into the matter.

Reach Dylan Goforth at (918) 684-2903 or dgoforth@muskogeephoenix.com.

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