AUDIT: AROUND $32,000 EMBEZZLED FROM PARKVILLE ORGANIZATION
A now-former employee of the Parkville Area Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development (PACE) has been formally charged with stealing from the organization.
Court documents indicate she allegedly embezzled more than $32,000 from PACE for personal use.
Prosecutors on Thursday, June 18 filed a Class D felony count of stealing against Kalynn Sue Guffey, age 31, of Kansas City in Platte County.
Her bond was set at $10,000 surety, which allows for 10 percent payment. Conditions of her bond include pre-trial monitoring and to not have contact with PACE.
An online court docket entry dated Monday, June 22 referred to the defendant as “in custody at this time.” However, a search of the jail roster with the Platte County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday morning indicates Guffey is no longer in custody.
As first reported by The Landmark in early May, Guffey was arrested and booked into custody for a time on May 6. She was booked on a 24-hour hold before being released as the investigation continued.
As a PACE employee, Guffey was responsible for handling organizational finances, according to a sheriff’s department incident report. Ed Linnebur, executive director of PACE, met with detectives from the sheriff’s department on May 6 to report “suspicious expenditures.”
Guffey began employment with PACE in July of 2025. Court documents indicate Guffey is accused of stealing and embezzling around $32,000 from PACE between August 2025 and May of 2026.
Linnebur told authorities that Guffey served as a program manager and had access to a debit card and checkbook for the PACE financial accounts.
According to court documents, in an interview with detectives Guffey admitted she purposefully used funds from PACE to cover “life expenses.” Such expenses included the down payment and first month’s rent for a townhome, additional rent, personal cellular phone bills, groceries, miscellaneous expense and a financial services company, according to court documents.
Guffey told detectives she used the banking information from a check to make internet payments, used the debit card for transactions and made checks out to herself, all for personal use, according to the court documents.
Linnebur had provided to detectives bank statement and business records identifying at least 90 transactions that were allegedly misappropriated.
As the result of an audit conducted after that initial meeting with detectives, additional transactions were later discovered which amounted to more than $32,000 in misappropriated funds, according to court documents.
In that May meeting with detectives prior to the audit, Linnebur had estimated the total amount of suspicious expenditures at around $13,000.
According to the incident report, Linnebur told detectives that concerns first arose after discovering an unexplained $750 transaction to “MEND Services, ” which he later learned was associated with debt repair services.
Linnebur confronted Guffey regarding the transaction several times; however, she failed to provide a satisfactory explanation, according to the incident report.
In May, Linnebur told detectives Guffey had recently exhibited unusual financial behavior inconsistent with her known income. He reported she purchased an expensive dog valued at approximately $3,000 and moved into what appeared to be an upscale apartment complex despite apparent ongoing vehicle and financial difficulties, according to the incident report.
Linnebur told detectives Guffey earned approximately $25.50 per hour and worked approximately 30–35 hours weekly.
Detectives questioned Linnebur regarding organizational financial controls. Linnebur stated Guffey was expected to coordinate financial oversight with the organization’s bookkeeper, however, software issues and lack of completed reports hindered oversight efforts.
Linnebur told detectives there was never any authorization for employees to use organizational funds for personal expenses, nor any agreement allowing Guffey to temporarily use business funds with repayment arrangements.
At the time of the interview with detectives, Linnebur said Guffey currently retained possession of the company laptop, checkbook, and company debit/ATM card at her residence.
Detectives requested employment records, payroll information, disciplinary documentation, and Guffey’s residential address for follow-up investigation and possible subpoenas related to financial records, according to the incident report.
Upon leaving the chamber office, detectives were informed of new information, so they returned to meet with Linnebur. Detectives say Linnebur gave them a copy of an email he had just received from Guffey in which she resigned her employment effective immediately.
In a brief telephone interview with The Landmark following his meeting with detectives back in May, Linnebur confirmed that Guffey was no longer with PACE. He said the organization “is trying to make sure we are moving forward on a solid foundation.”
A review by The Landmark of online Platte County Circuit Court records found that Guffey has been the defendant in four “rent and possession” court cases in the past year and a half.
A “rent and possession” court case is a legal action initiated by a landlord to evict a tenant for non-payment of rent and to recover the money owed.
The Landmark reached Guffey by phone on May 12. “I have no comment,” she said in response to questions.
