Southside Community Center director fired after August arrest for embezzling from assisted living facility

The executive director of the Southside Community Center was fired earlier this month after he was arrested and charged with stealing from his previous employer, Fairfield Care Center.

Jered M. Fross, 41, was charged with first-degree theft earlier this month.

Fross was the executive director at the community center until he was terminated on Aug. 3, the day of his arrest, according to Dennis Anderson, the center’s board chair.

He is accused of embezzling thousands of dollars from Fairfield Care, an assisted living facility located at 503 S. Hilltop Lane in Fairfield.

According to court documents, a board member at the facility noticed in April 2021 some unusual transactions between the company’s business account and an unknown account, which she discovered was Fross’ personal account. He was facility administrator at the time.

After some internal investigation, the board confronted Fross about their findings in May 2021, according to court records.

In October of that year, Fross resigned from his position. A forensic audit found fraudulent activity totaling $104,235, according to court documents.

Some of that money was repaid, leaving the total amount of the theft at $71,834, according to court documents.

Following the completion of the audit, Spokane police contacted Fross at the Southside Community Center, where he was arrested. He declined to speak with police, according to court records.

Fross was released on his own recognizance on Aug. 7. He pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Aug. 16. Fross did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The board of the Southside Community Center was unaware when hiring him of the circumstances under which Fross left Fairfield Care, Anderson said. It’s unclear if there was any inappropriate conduct at the community center, Anderson said.

“We are conducting an internal audit,” Anderson said.

The Southside Community Center has yet to hire a new executive director.

Fross’ next court date is scheduled for Oct. 16.