WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (CBS12) — A Port St. Lucie woman, who’s charged with grand theft in Riviera Beach could face similar charges in Fort Pierce.

Police say she ripped off numerous people just trying to make their monthly rent. Police say a woman who worked at two apartment complexes in Riviera Beach took advantage of several renters, lining her pockets, at their expense.

We caught up with her before she walked into the courtroom.

“Are you Ashley Clayton?” we asked her. “Yes,” Clayton said. “How could you steal all this rent check money from residents?” we asked. “Can you get out of my face?” she said. “How could you do that? You’re supposed to help others, not prey on them, right?” we asked as she walked into the courtroom without saying anything further.

Ashley Clayton, 38, appearing in a West Palm Beach Courtroom, for a plea conference hearing Friday morning.

Clayton worked as a Community Manager at Berkeley Landing Apartments and as Assistant Property Manager at Heron Estates Apartments in Riviera Beach.

Police say Clayton collected rent payments from renters by having them send Zelle payments directly to her personal bank account.

Another way she’d allegedly pocket money—instructing renters to pay with a blank money order, which police say she would fill out and make payable to herself.

“I think this is a very unfortunate situation because it happened multiple times,” said Det. Jennifer Jones, Riv. Beach Police.

At the time of her arrest, police said Clayton had stolen $89,000 from residents at Berkeley Landing and Heron Estates.

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But prosecutors say they can only prove Clayton stole $20,000 to $25,000.

Henry Catlett is one of the alleged victims.

“I’m hurt,” Catlett told us in 2024.

Police say Clayton stole almost $19,000 in rent payments from him.

“She seemed so nice. We was almost like friends,” Catlett said.

Riviera Beach Police told us in 2024, more than 20 residents at Heron Estates were evicted for not paying their rent, even though they had paid their rent and Clayton had allegedly stolen their payments.

“It’s sad that they had to endure this, especially the elderly who some of them are not even aware that money was missing from their accounts. So it’s unfortunate. One young lady advised that she was sleeping in her car after this. She didn’t have anywhere to stay,” said Brionca Hunter, a Riviera Beach Police Officer.

Fort Pierce Police say they’re also investigating similar allegations that Clayton stole rent payments when she worked at Blue Sky Landing Apartments in Fort Pierce.

Police say the list of alleged victims there is lengthy.

Clayton is facing several serious charges including grand theft, money laundering, and organized scheme to fraud.

The case was reset for May 27.