Former clinic employee is charged with theft

By Times staff writer

© St. Petersburg Times, published June 23, 2000

LARGO -- Financial discrepancies amounting to a loss of about $7,000 at a Largo walk-in clinic have resulted in the arrest of a former office manager.

Paula Birchfield, 48, of Palm Harbor was arrested Tuesday and charged with grand theft. She was being held at the Pinellas County Jail in lieu of $10,000 bail.

Birchfield is accused of embezzling money from Bayfront-St. Anthony's Convenient Care Clinic at 13163 66th St. N.

Largo Detective Jim Monahan said the investigation began after clinic officials found discrepancies in bank deposit records over the past year. Part of Birchfield's job was making deposits of cash and checks from patients.

An investigation revealed deposits in her bank account matching amounts of money missing from the clinic, Monahan said.

"The money is gone," he said. "It was spent basically on living expenses."

© St. Petersburg Times. All rights reserved.