A Little Compton Town Hall employee charged last Thursday with embezzlement allegedly stole an unknown sum through her work as a fiscal clerk in the town's treasurer/tax collector's office, court documents reviewed Monday confirm.

Rachel Bruno, 31, of 202G Long Highway, was arrested by the Rhode Island State Police financial crimes unit on Thursday, Nov. 30, arraigned and charged with a single count of felony embezzlement/fraudulent conversion. Under the state statute, the charge reaches felony status when the amount allegedly taken exceeds $100.

It was unknown at press time how much Bruno is alleged to have embezzled. Little Compton Town Manager Antonio Teixeira declined Monday to answer questions about the arrest, and would not disclose Bruno's current employment status. A press contact at the Rhode Island State Police did not return approximately half a dozen calls, and several e-mails, left by the Sakonnet Times late last week through Monday.

Following Bruno's arraignment at State Police headquarters, she was released on $1,000 personal recognizance and ordered to appear back in court on Wednesday, Feb. 28.

When state police announced her arrest on Friday, there was no mention of her employment with the Town of Little Compton. But according to a criminal complaint signed by state police detective Michael Colasante, the offense dates back at least to Monday, Sept. 20. Bruno, “acting as agent of the Town of Little Compton, to whom money was entrusted…did embezzle and convert to her own use such property, which came into her possession and her care and charge by virtue of acting in the said capacity" as a town agent.

Among other things, she was ordered at Thursday's arraignment to not leave Rhode Island without permission from the court.

— With reports by Ruth Rasmussen