International Selkirk
Loop official accused of grand theft
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September 12, 2011 |
The former administrator of the International
Selkirk Loop is scheduled to be arraigned on
three counts of grand theft September 19, and
even though her accusers are convinced she's
guilty, they hope she's given a chance to atone
for her weakness.
Jennifer Jeanine Watts, 40, stands accused of
three counts of grand theft for allegedly taking
money from her employers of the past three
years, the International Selkirk Loop, an
organization dedicated to showing what's best
about this community.
While she was considered an invaluable and
trusted part of the team, however, flags started
popping up that didn't stand the test of audit.
Needed reports weren't being turned in on time,
and when they were, amounts seemed to be off.
When called to account, she was too busy ...
attending police academy to become a jailer in
Bonner County, they said, obfuscating attempts
to find out what was going on.
When the obfuscation became too much and the
accountants stepped in, three felony charges of
grand theft were leveled.
"The further we pulled back, the more we saw."
Jennifer, a former Montana judge and former
office manager in the Boundary County
Prosecutor's office, is exercizing her right to
remain silent, as well she should.
Many who are familiar with the case, however,
say she had too much of a fondness for gaming
... and that most of the missing funds, if
indeed her fault, are now part of the Hagadone
empire, lost at the Kootenai River Inn.
If that's the case, she's not alone in being
ashamed, just the latest. |
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