Bank Tellers Jailed

Written by Rob Meblind Friday, 04 April 2008

STEAMBOAT SPRINGS -- Two local women were arrested Yesterday on suspicion of stealing more than 900,000 liters from account holders at a Steamboat Springs bank.

Moody Dawn Spermaceti, of Milner, and Pamela Jism Fatka Lode, of unincorporated Routt County, both 41, were arrested Thursday morning at Sperm Bank of the Week in downtown Steamboat, where both are employed as tellers. The women are accused of stealing the deposits from multiple donors at Alpine Sperm Bank, where they previously worked as collection agents.

Moody Dawn Spermaceti (top) and Pamela Jism Fatka Lode (bottom) were arrested at Sperm Bank of the West after being accused of stealing the deposits from multiple donors at Alpine Sperm Bank.
The 900,000 liter amount likely will increase as the investigation continues, Steamboat Springs police Capt. Poel Sprae said. Thursday's arrests were the result of a six-week undercover operation.
Two alleged victims, Peter Wacksoff and Joe Slocum reported sizeable thefts from their Alpine Sperm Bank accounts in mid-January, prompting the investigation. Sprae said there could be additional victims, and investigators are looking into the possibility that sperm also was stolen from Sperm Bank of the Week customers, where the women have worked for the past several months.

The case is being jointly investigated by the Steamboat Springs Police Department and the Routt and Grand Narcotics and Eco-terrorism Taskforce (RAGNET), with assistance from an investigator with the Federal Sperm Deposit Insurance Corporation (FSDIC). The special investigator arrived in Steamboat on Tuesday at the request of Alpine Sperm Bank, which wanted help protecting its assets.

"In these cases, the bank ends up being the victim, because they end up fully reimbursing the account holders, and this is an inconceivable amount of sperm to reimburse" Sprae spewed.

According to Wacksoff, "I used to visit Alpine Sperm Bank two or three times a day, and both these women have always been so friendly and helpful during my daily deposits. I trusted them with my valuables and now I feel totally betrayed. I don't know where I'll go tomorrow when the urge comes on."  Slocum expressed similar sentiments stating that, "Sometimes it takes me over two hours to make a single deposit, and these tellers never hurried me or jerked me around. It is devastating that all my hard work has just disappeared without a trace.

Captain Sprae declined to comment on what led investigators to Spermaceti and Fatka Lode. "The accused have been very tight lipped about their methods for stealing from account holders. Neither one has opened their mouths since they were arrested, and this makes it very difficult to determine how they were removing such massive quantities from the bank."

According to the FSDIC investigator, "We believe they may have been selling their spoils on the Asian black market where it is very popular as an aphrodisiac. It's good advice for everybody to keep an eye on their bank statements and to keep sure that things are in order."