Coupon scammer sentenced

HUMBLE, Texas – A man charged with stealing between $20,000 and $100,000 from a grocery store in a coupon scam was sentenced to jail.

Corey Scott Lester, 22, of Porter, pleaded guilty to felony theft and was sentenced to 30 days in jail and eight years probation.

Lester was a cashier at Kroger in Humble when police said he participated in a coupon fraud scheme. 

Investigators said that a group of women from a flea market shop would pay Kroger employees to accept bogus coupons. 

"They would buy $1,000 worth of goods and pay only $20," said Humble police detective David Scott.  "They would 'tip' the cashier about $50 to $1,000."

According to the compliant, over the course of three months, Lester, one other cashier and a manager would override the register to accept any discount.  The fraudulent transactions were all captured on the store's surveillance video.

Charges are pending against the other former cashier, Traveon Boyd, and the former manager, Krystal Cormier. 

No charges were filed against the women running the flea market because they denied knowing the coupons were not valid.