A former civilian staff assistant with the Lake Wales Police Department has been arrested and charged with Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card (Felony) and Petit Theft (Misdemeanor) following an investigation into unauthorized use of nonprofit funds.
The investigation began on September 3, 2025 when a representative from the Lake Wales High School Band Association contacted police and reported suspected fraudulent activity on their bank account. Detectives identified the suspect as Leslie Grondin, 46, of Lake Wales, who was serving as treasurer of the nonprofit organization.
Detectives uncovered the following unauthorized transactions made with on the organization’s account:
April 1, 2025 – $90.00 charge to the National Society of High School Scholars
April 14, 2025 – $227.63 charge for a hotel stay at the Residence Inn in Gainesville, FL
April 29, 2025 – $174.82 payment for Grondin’s personal residential water bill
During questioning on September 3rd, Grondin admitted to using the organization’s debit card to pay her personal water bill, stating she was “tight on money.” She also acknowledged the hotel stay, claiming she may have used the wrong card. However, in her Treasurer’s Report, she falsely listed the hotel stay and water bill charges as fraudulent, informing the board she would follow up with the bank—a step she never took.
Grondin initially denied knowledge of the charge to the National Society of High School Scholars transaction but later provided a receipt for that purchase from her cell phone.
At the time of these transactions, Grondin had sole custody of the Band Association’s debit card and was responsible for preparing and submitting financial reports. On May 8, 2025, she submitted the April Treasurer’s Report, intentionally misrepresenting two of the unauthorized charges.
On September 4, 2025, Grondin resigned from the Lake Wales Police Department where she worked as a staff assistant since April 1, 2024. Her annual salary was $46,363.20. She did not handle money or conduct financial transactions for the department. Grondin did not have any discipline during her employment with the department.
On September 5, 2025, Detectives arrested Grondin on charges of Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card and Petit Theft. This investigation remains active as detectives continue to review past transactions.
The Lake Wales Police Department remains committed to protecting the integrity of community organizations and ensuring those who abuse positions of trust are held accountable.
