Former Wal-Mart manager convicted of stealing $12,000

A former manager of Lawrence’s Wal-Mart store this morning entered a plea to a charge that he embezzled more than $12,000 from the store last summer by falsifying refunds.During a hearing in District Court, James Richard Chappelle pleaded no contest to one count of felony theft. He will be sentenced Feb. 23 and likely faces probation, but he will be ordered to repay the money. Deputy Dist. Atty. Robert Claus said the evidence included videotape of Chappelle “creating false refund receipts and then pocketing the money.” Claus said that Chappelle admitted stealing $12,309.Initial police reports last fall indicated that Chappelle, age 44 at the time of his arrest, was arrested after an internal audit discovered $34,945.44 missing from the store. -contributed by Eric Weslander.