Ex-AT&T employee arrested on suspicion of embezzling more than $10,000 worth of devices

A former AT&T employee has been arrested on suspicion of embezzling more than $10,000 worth of devices through customers’ accounts at a Porterville store, Porterville police said.

The incidents happened at Prime Communications, an AT&T authorized dealer, at 460 W. Vandalia Ave., north of Highway 190.

Police said management contacted them on Tuesday, after an audit that determined Joshua Martinez, 24, had embezzled several iPhone 7s and an iPad Mini between November 2016 and early January 2017 using customers’ accounts.

Officials said Martinez had been terminated from the job for an unrelated incident.

Around 11:10 a.m. on Thursday, Martinez turned himself in at the Porterville Police Department, authorities said. The Porterville resident was booked into the Tulare County Jail on charges of embezzlement and is being held in lieu of $35,000 bond.

Officials said they still are looking for the stolen items, which are believed to have been sold locally through social media.

If anyone thinks they may have purchased one of those devices contact Porterville police Detective Michael Gray at 559-782-7412.

This story was originally published January 27, 2017 at 9:10 PM with the headline "Ex-AT&T employee arrested on suspicion of embezzling more than $10,000 worth of devices."