Man charged with stealing from developmentally disabled

A Jefferson City man is out of jail Friday after admitting to stealing money from developmentally disabled people.

Jeffery Debrodie was an employee for an organization that helps developmentally disabled adults.

He’s been charged in Cole County, where court documents show he’s been taking money from these people for the past two years.

Employees of Cole County Residential Services are shocked and saddened after one of their own was caught stealing from the people they’re trying to help.

“He was a good employee and something happened where he started doing the wrong thing,” said Jim Casey with Cole County Residential Services.

According to court documents, Jeffery Debrodie is charged with stealing more than $3,000.

“An individual had cash to buy soda at work or give money to your church, or any number of reasons why you might have a few dollars in your pocket, and that didn’t happen. Then the cash disappeared. Where did it go?”

The documents state that Debrodie admitted he started stealing the money back in 2013.

Debrodie said he’d cash the client’s payroll checks and pocket the money. He would also take money meant for clients’ medical bills.

“We take the hiring of employees very, very seriously, and again they go through a stringent background screening. When this happens everybody feels violated and betrayed.”

Residential services said many of these people don’t have much money, many living on social security or SSI.