PORT ANGELES — A Clallam County Treasurer’s Office employee currently under criminal investigation allegedly stole far more than the $1,500 needed to file a charge of felony first-degree theft, Sheriff Bill Benedict revealed Monday.
The woman stole “quite a bit north” of $1,500, he said.
“It’s enough that it is ‘a solid’ in the felony area.”
Authorities are not releasing the employee’s name, but the office’s five-person staff is all women.
The precise amount the employee allegedly stole won’t be known until the state Auditor’s Office concludes a forensic audit of records contained on Treasurer’s Office computers that were swathed in evidence tape to prevent unauthorized access during the review, Benedict said.
Three state Auditor’s Office investigators who began their hands-on review of the records June 4 remain “in the information gathering phase,” with at least one of the three investigators still in Port Angeles, agency spokeswoman Kara Klotz said Monday.
While the Treasurer’s Office is one of the smallest in county government, it processes $17.9 million of public money, much of it from county departments, which further complicates the audit, Benedict said.
“It’s a huge undertaking,” he said.
“When they are done, they will have down to the penny what is missing.”
Records likely doctored
Benedict said evidence indicates the employee stole cash and doctored computer records to conceal the crime.
The Peninsula Daily News on June 3 filed a state Public Records Act request that sought to identify the employee.
The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office will respond to the request June 22 to give her the opportunity to block the disclosure through court action and to give the prosecutor’s office enough time to review the request, county Chief Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Mark Nichols said Monday.
Treasurer Judy Scott placed the woman on administrative leave May 20, the day after Scott discovered the missing money while reviewing the office’s financial records, she said.
Scott would not be interviewed Monday about the case and referred questions to Sheriff’s Department spokesman Jim Borte.
The Port Angeles Police Department, in conjunction with the county Sheriff’s Office, is conducting the criminal investigation.
Benedict said the criminal investigation will get fully under way after the audit is completed.
Authorities expect to serve several search warrants in building a case, so it could be several days after that before a charge is filed, Benedict said.
If found guilty, the person could serve one to 10 years.
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Staff writer Paul Gottlieb can be reached at 360-417-3536 or at paul.gottlieb@peninsuladailynews.com.
