The 10 worst employees of the year

The next time you’re tempted to complain about one of your co-workers, remember this motley crew.
The group comes courtesy of CareerBuilder.com and places the “winners” in no particular order:
1. Charlena Graham, deputy coroner for Augusta, GA. Relatives of a deceased women noticed that some of the woman’s personal effects were missing — including $325 in gift cards — after Graham processed the remains. Graham eventually was sentenced to 7 years’ probation and $5,000 in fines for the theft.
2. Marie Cooley, architect. She suspected her company was planning to fire her, so she attempted to sabotage the FL-based business by allegedly sneaking into the building on a weekend and destroying $2.5 million worth of computer files. Cooley told investigators she was “angry.” She was arrested and charged with damaging computer equipment.
3. William Vinyard, Christopher Stephens, Stacy Vining and George C. Phelps, firefighters and EMTs. The four employees of the Marion County (FL) Emergency Medical Services Alliance were arrested and accused of grand theft for collecting pay upwards of $20,000 per person for hours they didn’t work. All employees have resigned or been suspended without pay.
4. Judge Robert Restaino. His Honor was hearing a case in his Niagara Falls, NY, courtroom when a cell phone rang. The judge demanded to know whose phone was ringing, but no one stepped forward. He then jailed all 46 people who were in the courtroom. He has since been removed from the bench for the charge of jailing innocent people.
5. Jarrod Hankins, court bailiff. Hankins didn’t forget to turn off his cell phone, but he did let it slip his mind about a woman he placed in holding cell in Arkansas. Officials said as a result, the woman spent four nights locked in the cell without food, water or a toilet. Hankins was suspended for 30 days without pay.
6. Karen Baer, bank teller. In an FBI affidavit, Baer admitted to taking $10,000 at a time over several years from the Westminster, MD, bank where she worked as a teller. Her total take, according to the FBI: More than $1 million. She told investigators she used the money for vacations, bills and college tuition for her kids.
7. Robert Irvine, chef and TV personality. Apparently the world-record-holder in résumé embellishment, Irvine’s bogus claims included cooking for the British royal family, catering for four U.S. presidents and helping to make Prince Charles’ and Princess Diana’s wedding cake. His contract with the Food Network was terminated.
8. Jamie Day, bartender. She was arrested after a patron at a bar in Alton, IL, called police to complain that Day was bartending — in the nude. She was charged with misdemeanor lewd entertainment. The county suspended the bar’s liquor license for 30 days and fined the owner $500.
 
9. Pythias Brown, transportation security agent. If you’ve flown into or out of Newark (NJ) Airport and you’re missing something, you’ll be interested in Brown’s story. He was allegedly stealing items from checked luggage at the airport where he worked, making off with more than $200,000 worth of travelers’ belongings, including a camera belonging to a CNN employee who found it for sale on eBay. Police say they discovered 66 cameras, 31 laptops, jewelry and more in Brown’s home.
10. Patricia Villegas, beautician. She was supposed to inject collagen and cortisone into the faces of two clients who paid $2,000 for the treatments. Instead, Villegas used a low-cost substance similar to silicone, causing disfigurement and scarring. Villegas, of Flushing, NY, was found guilty of assault, reckless endangerment and scheme to defraud. She faces up to 14 years in prison.