PORT ANGELES — Staci L. Allison last week became the second former Clallam County employee this year to be found guilty of pocketing money while on the job.
An eight-woman, four-man jury found Allison, 41, guilty of first-degree theft and money laundering Friday in Clallam County Superior Court.
Allison, who had been living in Montesano, was accused of stealing $8,644 from the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office evidence room while she worked as the sole evidence officer between 2003 and 2006.
The jury also found the theft to be a major economic offense, meaning Allison will face up to 10 years in prison rather than approximately six years.
A sentencing hearing will be held Nov. 17.
Another former county employee, Catherine Betts, was sentenced to 12 years in prison in August for stealing between $617,467 and $793,595 in real estate excise tax proceeds between June 2003 and May 2009 while she worked as a cashier in the Treasurer’s Office.
Authorities have said the thefts are not connected.
Allison showed little emotion as she was taken into custody.
Her attorney, Ralph Anderson, said in court that he plans to file a motion for a retrial.
Asked about it afterward, Anderson said he has concerns about the jury instructions but declined to elaborate.
He said he will file for an appeal if a retrial is not granted.
“I’m very disappointed,” Anderson said.
“We had a good jury. We had a good judge.
“They just didn’t agree with me.”
The thefts were discovered when the Sheriff’s Office found 129 empty evidence bags — which once contained $51,251 — stuffed in a plastic tube in the evidence room in November 2006.
Allison was charged with taking a fraction of that amount because that’s how much prosecutors felt they could prove she stole.
Assistant Attorney General Scott Marlow prosecuted both Allison and Betts.
“I think justice has been done, and for that, I am happy,” he said.
Sheriff Bill Benedict, who took office in January 2007, said he has been waiting for the verdict for five years but nonetheless called it “bittersweet.”
Benedict said Allison is a nice person and was a hard worker who fell victim to temptation.
“Now this is behind us, we can go on, and I can assure you that our evidence facility is top-notch,” he said.
“It’s one of the best in the state right now, and it is well-managed.”
Investigators noted the evidence room was disorganized when the thefts occurred.
Benedict said it has been cleaned up and is now overseen by the chief criminal deputy.
Additionally, he said, the Sheriff’s Office has two part-time employees managing the room rather than one full-time person.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
