A Walmart employee who allowed friends to walk out of the store with thousands of dollars in merchandise has avoided a jail sentence but will be required to pay back the retail giant.The former employee, Austin Lane Medley, 20, was issued a two-year judicial diversion by Circuit Court Judge Bart Stanley on the charge of grand theft. The diversion means he can have his criminal record erased once his probation is over. He will also be required to pay $2,566 in restitution to Walmart and perform 48 hours public service work.Investigators say Medley was a cashier in the tire service portion of the store and would let people walk out without paying for merchandise.“He let people leave without scanning, or he changed the price for those people,” said Walmart loss prevention agent Michelle Tanner in her warrant against the former employee.Loss prevention said Medley let people walk out without paying or assisted in changing prices on merchandise on at least 15 occasions spanning from Nov. 30 to Dec. 29 of 2014.