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Sun Country worker who took $200,000 pleads guilty

Star Tribune

Last update: July 8, 2008 - 11:18 PM

A Sun Country Airlines employee who siphoned more than $200,000 from the company for gambling and other purposes pleaded guilty Tuesday in Dakota County District Court.

The plea by Kelly Jean Dillon-Love could mean revocation of probation for a felony traffic conviction four years ago in Iowa, which could put her behind bars, an Iowa corrections official said.

Dillon-Love, 45, of Minneapolis and Grady Jackson Jr., 35, who lists a Minneapolis address, were charged earlier this year. Dillon-Love described Jackson as an on-and-off-again boyfriend, authorities said.

Dillon-Love admitted to five felony counts of theft by swindle. The case against Jackson is pending.

County Attorney James Backstrom said Dillon-Love was convicted in 1996 of stealing from her Minneapolis employer.

Dillon-Love was hired in 1998 and worked in the airline's Mendota Heights headquarters, the airline said.

News reports in Iowa say Dillon-Love was speeding and legally drunk when her motorcycle crashed in 2003, in Waterloo, injuring herself and killing her passenger, Vicky Hershkovitz of Minneapolis

Dillon-Love served about five weeks before being released on probation, which is still in effect.

According to the Dakota County complaint, Dillon-Love and Jackson admitted to taking the money from Sun Country and would sometimes use it for casino trips.

An airline executive reported to police that Dillon-Love had been issuing checks to Jackson, even though he was neither an employee nor a vendor.

PAUL WALSH