Charges: Former West St. Paul community service officer embezzled child's college fund

As recently as last year, Roy Bester was a man the public was supposed to trust. He worked part time for West St. Paul Police, and everything seemed to be going well, until Apple Valley Police made an important discovery.

At the same time Bester was serving the city of West St. Paul as a part-time community service officer, court documents allege he was also embezzling over $118,000 from the account of a child in his care.

Investigators allege the thefts began in December of 2011. Bester pulled $44,000 from the child’s college account.

The money eventually ended up in Bester’s pocket. The pattern of withdrawals continued until February of 2015, when the balance of the child’s account finally hit zero.

Investigators later determined Bester had used the money to buy a boat and a car. West St. Paul Police told Fox 9 Bester resigned after he was arrested and charged in 2016.

In a statement, the police department said that Bester had “not been with the department in any capacity since.”

Bester was charged with four counts of felony theft. His case is currently being tried in Dakota County Court.