A Marietta woman and business owner was arrested Friday on a theft charge.
The Marietta Police Department, with assistance from the Washington County Sheriff's Office, executed two search warrants on Friday, resulting in the arrest of local business owner Stacey Ann Johnson, 48, on a fourth-degree felony charge of grand theft, according to a press release from the Marietta Police Department.
Search warrants were issued for Stacey's Dance Studio at 205 Pike Street and the residence of the owner, Johnson, at 631 Sixth Avenue.
On May 7, MPD detectives were contacted by a group of parents of nine students at the studio who told them they had paid for costumes and numerous other expenses for their children to participate in three dance competitions in late 2023 and early 2024, as well as in spring 2024, according to the release.
In total, Johnson raised at least $10,695 from parents, according to the release, and met with a group of parents in mid-April to inform them that she would not be competing in the three tournaments in 2024.
According to the announcement, Johnson said one of the three organisations would refund the money, while the other two would not refund it and would instead apply the fees to 2025.
A suspicious parent called the pageant organizers and discovered Stacey's Dance Studio had never registered for the 2024 pageant, which detectives confirmed, the release said.
According to the release, by mid-May, some parents had received partial refunds, but many others had not received anything.
Marietta Police are asking anyone who believes they may have been a victim of fraud or theft by Stacey's Dance Studio to contact Detective AJ Linscott at 740-376-2007 ext. 1319.
