Former Island Park city clerk charged for alleged embezzlement of over $219,000
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ISLAND PARK — The former city clerk for the city of Island Park has been arrested and charged with allegedly embezzling at least $219,000 over the last five years.
Reeca Marotz, 61, is charged with felonies for misuse of public money by officers and use of money or a financial transaction card or account for personal use.
Marotz has hired a private attorney, Marvin Stucki, who declined to provide a comment on the case.
According to the minutes for a special Island Park city council meeting, Marotz was terminated from her role on March 6. She had not yet been charged at that point.
Police reports say that on Feb. 17, an investigator with the Idaho Attorney General’s office was assigned to investigate a possible embezzlement case from the city of Island Park.
The investigator contacted the Island Park mayor, Bruce Ard, who reportedly explained that a contracted auditor had discovered financial discrepancies while reviewing the city’s books.
The auditor reported that he had found checks in which the payee and the signer were the same person and identified the person as Marotz.
According to court documents, Marotz had been the city clerk since 2011.
When interviewed, the auditor told the investigator that he had asked Marotz for copies of the checks to verify one of the suspicious transactions, and she initially claimed she had shredded them.
Shortly after, she allegedly “suddenly announced she had a situation at home to address and left the office.”
After Marotz left, the auditor says he found a folder on her desk containing copies of written checks made out to Marotz, but in the QuickBooks entries, they were often made out to other entities, such as Fremont County and various vendors.
Court documents say Ard told investigators that much of the money that was allegedly embezzled by Marotz was supposed to be paid to Fremont County for road and bridge work.
When the auditor looked at the city books, he found that the payment had been made, but the actual checks had been written to and deposited by Marotz.
Court documents say the auditor reported that between 2018 and 2025, Marotz reportedly embezzled $146,324.89 in altered checks.
The auditor says he also found other checks issued to Marotz for mileage, unused vacation, end-of-year, performance pay, and cell phone payments.
According to Ard, Marotz’s job did not require her to travel much, and she should not have been receiving pay for her cell phone.
On Feb. 25, investigators met with Ard in Island Park to try to speak with Marotz, who invoked her Miranda rights. She was reportedly put on leave and was asked to provide Ard with passwords to city accounts and computer programs, as well as turn over her keys to the building, the city debit card, and any other city property.’
Police reports say Marotz had also allegedly forged the city council members’ signatures on checks.
On Feb 27, Ard contacted investigators to report that he had found binders of past monthly expenses that appeared to have “numerous unauthorized purchases made by Marotz.”
On March 1, a suspected arson took place at the city office, and ATF agents were called to investigate.
RELATED | Authorities investigating arson, graffiti at Island Park City Hall
The AG’s office investigators arrived in Island Park on March 2, where they reviewed the binder and reportedly found many unauthorized online purchases by Marotz, including for multiple backpacks, handbags, kitchen items, craft supplies, wall art, decorations, groceries, and baking supplies.
Inside the binder, the receipts for all of these items were stamped with “approved.” Investigators say Marotz also fraudulently purchased the “approved” stamp with the city debit card.
After further review, investigators say Marotz possibly embezzled a total of $219,506.71 in city funds. This total only includes the last five years, starting on Sept. 1, 2021.
According to court documents, Marotz was the only full-time employee in the city office building, worked alone most of the time, and was responsible for tracking the budget and finances and making payments to vendors.
Marotz was arrested on Aug. 25 and was booked into the Fremont County Jail on a $100,000 bond.
A preliminary hearing is scheduled for Oct. 13. If convicted, Marotz could face up to ten years in prison.
Though Marotz has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean she committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.