Former Clark County Library board member sentenced to prison after embezzling over $200,000

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Published astatine 4:20 pm, June 27, 2024 | Updated astatine 4:20 pm, June 27, 2024

Amanda Baker wrong nan Clark County courthouse connected Wednesday. | Andrea Olson, EastIdahoNews.com

DUBOIS — A erstwhile room committee personnel has been convicted of embezzling hundreds of thousands of dollars successful nationalist costs and sentenced to prison.

On Wednesday afternoon, Amanda Baker, 47, came into nan Clark County courthouse wearing a dress and was accompanied by her husband. She sat astatine a array pinch her attorney, Jay Kohler, successful beforehand of District Judge Dane Watkins.

Baker was charged successful August pinch felony expansive theft aft she admitted to stealing astir $50,000. However, aft further investigation, that number was discovered to beryllium complete $200,000.

Watkins sentenced her to betwixt 15 months and 10 years successful prison.

Library committee president shares statement

An effect connection was fixed astatine her sentencing by Connie Barg, nan president of nan Clark County Library Board.

Barg had said they were sad and disappointed by nan actions of their erstwhile committee member. The stolen costs were intended to support programs and services.

“As a consequence of this theft, we person had to make difficult decisions to trim backmost connected our offerings … eliminating programs and trying to reestablish our estimation pinch nan IRS,” Barg said.

She added it has had a ripple effect successful nan mini organization that relied connected and operated connected trust.

“The embezzlement fractured nan trust, leaving america divided and suspicious. Relationships became strained arsenic accusations flew and neighbors turned against each other,” Barg said. “Ms. Baker’s actions prohibited america from being capable to salary contractors and vendors who person their families to attraction for.”

RELATED | Investigation shows room charismatic allegedly stole $210,000 successful nationalist funds

State charismatic and attorney

Clark County Prosecutor Janna Birch said done research, she recovered galore embezzlement cases that resulted successful probation aliases a rider.

Birch told nan tribunal she wanted to guarantee situation clip would beryllium served, and worked pinch Baker to discuss a plea statement successful March.

RELATED | Clark County Library committee personnel pleads blameworthy to embezzling complete $226,000

“One of nan reasons I was concerned that Ms. Baker would not get situation time… without an statement is because, connected paper, Ms. Baker has nary criminal history. But successful reality, she’s been committing crimes regularly for astatine slightest 5 years. She conscionable hasn’t been caught,” Birch said.

Birch recommended 10 years pinch 15 months fixed pinch nary chance of a rider aliases early merchandise and 8 years 9 months indeterminate.

Birch said Baker must salary nan full restitution successful nan magnitude of $226,384.59 wrong those ten years. The money would spell to nan Clark County Library Board and to nan Idaho Counties Risk Management Program. She will besides person to pay court costs and a tribunal fine.

Kohler agreed pinch nan sentencing recommendation. He said Baker anticipated serving situation clip from nan very beginning.

“She would not consciousness for illustration she had paid her conscionable dues to society. So situation clip is appropriate,” Kohler said.

He talked astir really Baker had gone to nan sheriff and primitively believed that she had stolen up to $50,000 but done investigation, it was a batch more.

“She was astounded that it was arsenic precocious arsenic it was and she felt moreover worse,” Kohler said.

He added Baker has a beardown desire to make afloat restitution.

She apologized for her actions

Baker addressed nan tribunal and apologized for her actions, crying during portion of her statement.

“One mightiness opportunity that my life changed past August. But nan reality is, I changed nan people of my life nan infinitesimal I decided to return money that was not mine. The past fewer months has fixed maine clip to bespeak connected my life choices,” Baker said.

“The ripple effects of my crime has been acold and wide. When you are successful nan midst of your ain downward spiral, you are unaware of really overmuch others will beryllium affected. I cognize I’ve wounded truthful galore that trusted maine to not only do a occupation but besides protect nan hard-earned money of each payer successful this county. I make nary excuses for my behavior. My actions were selfish and thoughtless,” she continued.

Baker apologized to nan Clark County Library Board. She said she knew she had surgery their trust.

“I lied to you, I damaged nan relationship. I dream that 1 time you will beryllium capable to forgive my transgressions,” Baker said.

She asked for forgiveness from neighbors and friends. Baker said she would walk nan remainder of her life surviving up to nan personification that everyone has thought of her to be.

Baker said she was grateful for nan support.

“I americium successful awe of nan graciousness shown to me,” Baker said, crying. “Many person shown nan emotion of Christ to me, moreover though I person not felt I merit it. ”

Baker said she knew that nan connection “sorry” seemed inadequate erstwhile considering nan facts of her crime, but she said she was “deeply sorry” for her actions and behavior.

“I americium shattered that what I person done has costs truthful much. I believe that I tin go nan champion type of myself and nan personification that God has called maine to be,” she said.

The judge sentences her

Watkins talked astir really he believed 4 objectives were satisfied successful nan lawsuit including, protection of society, deterrence to Baker and to others, rehabilitation and reward for nan wrongdoing.

He noted nan connection “ripple effect” was discussed a fewer times successful court.

“You will fulfill those objectives done your terms. You will 1 time beryllium released. You will decorativeness your responsibility of restitution. But I don’t deliberation you will ever beryllium nan same,” Watkins said to Baker. “And arsenic a result… that is nan powerfulness of that ripple effect that occurs because of nan wrongdoing.”

Watkins said nan upland Baker would person to climb to salary restitution backmost would beryllium astounding. He accepted nan position of nan plea statement successful court.

As Watkins talked to Baker, she occasionally dabbed her eyes pinch a tissue.

“I spot tears successful your eyes. I hadn’t seen them until conscionable a infinitesimal agone passim nan proceedings successful this lawsuit and I often don’t until this moment. When I do … I admit it,” Watkins said.

He added he believes she didn’t deliberation astir nan estimation of nan room committee and those successful nan organization during nan clip she was committing nan crime but he believes now that she does.

“You usage nan connection gratitude for those group astir you that person supported you, and I deliberation that’s important for you to bent onto,” Watkins said.

After Watkins sentenced Baker, she stood up and walked retired pinch nan Clark County Sheriff’s Office, wherever she was taken into custody.

Background

Court documents show connected Aug. 23, Clark County Sheriff Mark McClure told a lawman astir a imaginable theft aliases fraud case.

McClure said nan Clark County Library Board contracted a roofer to put a caller tile connected nan library. When it was finished, nan workers were told that Baker would message them a cheque for $23,900. But arsenic of Aug. 7, nan cheque had yet to arrive.

The roofer contacted Baker, who said nan cheque was mailed by certified message and successful transit.

Later, Baker told nan roofer that nan cheque “had been cashed successful California, and it was going to return nan slope 30 to 45 days to analyse and return nan costs to nan library,” according to tribunal documents.

On Aug. 23, nan lawman and sheriff met pinch Baker and respective Clark County Library Board members, requesting statements and costs search accusation pinch impervious of costs from Baker.

On nan aforesaid day, Baker went to nan sheriff’s agency and asked to speak pinch McClure, wherever she admitted to misappropriating room funds.

According to McClure, Baker said it “started pinch mini amounts of little than $100, past it was conscionable easy.”

Baker said she had been transferring money from nan room relationship to her individual checking relationship and utilizing nan room debit paper to retreat rate from ATMs.

Officials asked why she had been embezzling nan money, and Baker replied she “was conscionable trying to survive.”

When asked astir nan cheque to nan roofers, Baker admitted she ne'er wrote it because location was not capable money to screen it.

Baker told nan deputies nan embezzlement began erstwhile she stepped down from nan room committee arsenic treasurer and became nan bookkeeper successful precocious 2017.