By Nick Hytrek
Sioux City Journal
SIOUX CITY, Iowa — The former treasurer of Oto’s ambulance service pleaded guilty Tuesday to taking money from the department’s account and must repay more than $20,000.
Jennifer Weber, 53, of Oto, entered her plea in Woodbury County District Court to one count of first-degree theft.
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Sentencing her in accordance with a plea agreement, District Judge Jeffrey Neary suspended a 10-year prison sentence, placed Weber on five years probation and fined her $1,370. She also must make restitution of $20,154.96 to Oto Community Ambulance Service and has agreed to make $350 monthly payments.
The plea agreement also requires her to obtain counseling and/or treatment for a gambling addiction.
“I just want to say I’m sorry for what I’ve done and for what I’ve done to the community,” Weber said before she was sentenced.
A member of the Oto Community Ambulance Service and the department’s treasurer for five or six years, Weber used the rescue service’s debit card to make nearly 100 cash withdrawals from ATMs in Woodbury and Monona counties from May 1, 2024, to February 2025.
During that time, Weber used the ambulance service’s debit card to make at least 64 unauthorized cash withdrawals from ATMs throughout Woodbury County and 33 more withdrawals from ATMs in Monona County. Weber would then transfer money from the rescue service’s other account into the debit account while continuing to withdraw money from the debit account.
Weber also is accused of using the debit card to buy airline tickets costing $725.96 for herself and her boyfriend.
She was arrested July 18, 2025.
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