SOUTH BEND - The trial of Kathryn M. Burr was finally scheduled to start this week running Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Pacific County Superior Court. Burr, 50, the former executive director of the Crisis Support Network (CSN), is charged with one count of Theft in the First Degree with Aggravating Factor; 12 counts of Obtaining Signature by Deception with Aggravating factor and 12 counts of Forgery with Aggravating Factors. Senior Deputy Prosector Joseph Faurholt is the lead attorney for the prosecution. Scott Campbell of Montesano is representing the defense.
The date of the charges date back to March 25, 2019, when Lewis County Special Deputy Prosecutor Jonathan Meyer was assigned the case when then Pacific County Prosecutor Mark McClain recused himself from the case because of a conflict of interest because his wife worked for CSN at the time of the crimes. McClain filed the charges on March 25, 2019, and Meyer signed it.
The alleged thefts by Burr amounted to $47,000. CSN is insured and "did get a chunk of it back," according to Julie Jewell, executive director of CSN. "She was doing the books when the thefts happened," Jewell said. "Someone else noticed the irregularities."
Below are the dates when the alleged crimes took place.
Count I - Theft in the First Degree allegedly occurred between February 20 and June 5, 2018, in a series of transactions which are part of a criminal episode or a common scheme or plan, (and) did wrongfully obtain or exert unauthorized control over property, other than a firearm, as defined in RCW 9.41.010, or services of another, to wit: money of a value exceeding $5,000 belonging to Crisis support Network. Maximum sentence for this crime is confinement in a state correctional institution for 10 years, a fine of $20,000 or both such confinement and fine.
Counts 2-13 - Obtaining Signature by Deception allegedly occurred as follows on or about in 2018: Count 2 (March 18), Count 3 (March 26), Count 4 (March 28), Count 5 (April 19), Count 6 (April 24), Counts 7 and 8 (April 30) Count 9 (May 3), Count 10 (May 8) Counts 11 and 12 (June 1) and Count 13 (June 5). Maximum sentence for counts 2-13 is confinement in a state correctional institutuion for five years, a fine of $10,000 or both such confinement and fine.
Counts 14-25 - Forgery allegedly occurred as follows on or about in 2018: March 18, 14 (March 26), 16 (March 28), 17 (April 19), 18 (April 24), 19 and 20 (April 30), 21 (May 3), 22 (May 8), 23 and 24 (June 1) and 25 (June 5).
Note: (Because of early Monday printing deadlines, no additional details were available to the Herald about the court proceedings.)