The manager of a Kennewick hair salon is accused of pocketing more than $19,500 in cash and checks instead of depositing it in the business account.

Tamara Elayne Wertman, 45, pleaded innocent Thursday in Benton County Superior Court to first-degree theft and cocaine possession.

The theft charge includes allegations of aggravated circumstances for being a major economic offense and using a position of trust.

The Kennewick woman is scheduled to go to trial Oct. 31.

Wertman was employed at Great Clips, 3911 W. 27th Ave., when the theft allegedly happened between November 2009 and Aug. 9 of this year. As manager, she was responsible for depositing the cash and check payments to the salon.

At some point, the general manager and owner realized that a number of deposits had failed to make it to the bank, and believed Wertman took them, court documents said. An investigation revealed that 67 deposits totaling $19,508 were missing.

Kennewick police served a search warrant on Wertman, her home, car and the business, and found a number of missing deposit slips and checks inside the home and car, documents said.

Officers also allegedly seized cocaine in the search.

Wertman in her interview with police admitted to stealing the deposits, but "claimed to not know when they were stolen or how much she took," wrote Deputy Prosecutor Kristin McRoberts in the court documents.

Wertman is being held on $5,000 bail in the Benton County jail. Her husband, James Patrick Wertman, also is jailed on suspicion of possessing cocaine.