CHRISTIANSTED — The baker at a popular east end St. Croix restaurant is behind bars today after authorities said she cooked the company books to get nearly $1,400 in free things for herself.
Taylor Holmes, 32, was arrested and charged with obtaining money by false pretenses, grand larceny, and embezzlement by employee, the Virgin Islands Police Department said.
The case began on October 20, 2023, when the Economic Crimes Unit started investigating a business owner’s complaint that one of her employees was obtaining money under false pretenses, according to the VIPD.
Taylor Holmes, manager and baker at Blue Water Terrace in Estate Cotton Valley, drizzles the syrup on her white chocolate, sea salt caramel and coquito dessert tacos at the Taste of St. Croix. (Photo by FIONA STOKES)
“The investigation revealed that Taylor Holmes fraudulently took advantage of her position as a manager and purchased a total of $1,343.77 in items on the business account, during and after her employment,” VIPD spokeswoman Kishma Chichester said.
Detectives with the VIPD’s Economic Crimes Unit executed an arrest warrant on Holmes sometime Tuesday, according to Chichester.
Holmes was taken into official custody without incident, booked and processed.
VIPD mug shot of Taylor Holmes, 32, of St. Croix.
Based on the charges, bail for Holmes was set at $35,000.00 as per chart. Unable to post bail, she was remanded to the custody of the Bureau of Corrections at the Golden Grove prison.
Holmes is scheduled for an advice-of-rights hearing in Superior Court today.
