WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — A former Wichita Falls Pizza Hut manager pleaded to a charge of embezzling money from the restaurant in 2017.
Cody Armstrong-Lopez, 32, had been set for jury trial this week in 89th District Court, but he waived his right to trial on Wednesday, January 26.
He pleaded guilty to one Class A misdemeanor charge of theft over $750, and court records show his punishment to be a fine.
He signed a plea agreement on Tuesday, on the original felony charge of theft over $2,500, which called for a sentence of his time already served and $2,881 restitution. That charge has been dismissed with his plea to the misdemeanor.
According to the arrest affidavit, a Pizza Hut representative reported to police that Armstrong-Lopez embezzled about $16,000 from the Seymour Highway location.
The employee told police that drivers got paid $1.25 per delivery, but Armstrong-Lopez changed the rates to a higher amount and gave the drivers the correct amount and pocketed the difference.
The representative told police they had surveillance video to show Armstrong-Lopez was the person responsible.
When a detective contacted Armstrong-Lopez, he said he denied taking any money, but as the detective continued questioning him, Armstrong-Lopez said he was willing to take responsibility for the losses since he was the manager. Then, the detective said he admitted taking money and estimated it had been around $5,000.
