Woman facing multiple grand theft charges after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from company
Published at | Updated at
SALMON — A woman in her 70s has been charged with multiple counts of grand theft after allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from a water company she had worked for.
Katherine M. Bailey was charged with four counts of felony grand theft. According to court records, the case was filed in February, and she had an initial appearance at the Lemhi County courthouse on Tuesday.
According to the affidavit of probable cause filed by the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office, a deputy received a report of embezzlement at a local water company. There were several pieces of evidence, including bank documentation, copies of checks, copies of cash receipts, and other documentation to support the charges against Bailey.
A deputy interviewed Bailey at the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Office. During the course of the interview, Bailey admitted to writing extra paychecks for herself and stealing cash from bank deposits, court documents said. These violations happened over the course of two years, from 2021 to 2022.
In 2021, Bailey stole cash before making cash deposits to a credit union in Salmon, documents said. The total cash stolen was over $1,550. She initialed the total on the 2021 reconciliation report.
In 2022, Bailey again stole cash before making deposits to the credit union, documents said. The cash stolen was over $2,700. She initialed the total on the 2022 reconciliation report. She initialed on the reconciliation report the total of extra payroll checks totaling $3,000, including one check that was cashed.
She was shown by law enforcement seven debit card purchases, five of which she stated were for supplies for the business and two she said that she didn’t know. These two purchases were at the Dollar Tree and at Idaho Joe’s in Twin Falls.
The thefts totaled $10,545.73.
A summons to appear in court was issued to Bailey. Each grand theft charge holds a penalty of one to 14 years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
Bailey is scheduled for a preliminary hearing on April 24 at 2 p.m. at the Lemhi County courthouse.