Former Official Indicted Ex-Economic Development Head Charged With Forgery

Wed., Feb. 8, 1995

John Craig Staff Writer

The former director of the Pend Oreille County Economic Development Council was indicted Tuesday on two counts of theft and one count of forgery.

Bob Morris, owner of the Diamond Lake Resort, is accused of embezzling $3,000 while he directed the economic development council. He declined to comment on the charges.

In documents filed Tuesday in Superior Court, Deputy Prosecutor Tony Koures said Morris altered two of his expense checks to collect $3,000 more than the amount he was owed. Koures said Morris turned $224.40 into $2,224.40 and made $127.85 into $1,127.85.

Koures said bank records show Morris’ account would have been substantially overdrawn on both occasions if it hadn’t been for the fraudulent deposits.

When former development council secretary Julianne Chambers told Morris the council’s checking account was out of balance, he told her he would “take it home and fix it,” according to an affidavit Koures filed in court.

Morris is charged with first- and second-degree theft and forgery in connection with those incidents. If convicted, Morris could get three to nine months in jail under standard sentencing guidelines, Koures said.

Morris already has paid $2,800 back to the council under a settlement to prevent a civil lawsuit against him. Former council chairman Mike Keogh said an audit, performed after Morris was fired last June, showed he altered three checks. Keogh said Morris also claimed a paycheck was lost and then cashed that check and the replacement check.

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