In brief: Embezzler must repay county additional $69,500, judge rules

A former Kootenai County deputy clerk who embezzled $139,000 over 10 years has been ordered, along with her husband, to repay the county another $69,500.

A federal bankruptcy judge awarded the county the civil judgment against former Chief Deputy Clerk Sandra Martinson and her husband, Terry Martinson.

Sandra Martinson, 63, was ordered last fall to pay the county $49,075 in restitution, serve 90 days in jail and spend five years on supervised probation. She spent 75 days in jail and was released Jan. 17.

Martinson’s actions were discovered after she retired in November 2010. She pleaded guilty to grand theft and was found guilty in Kootenai County District Court on Oct. 31.

County Clerk Cliff Hayes said he’s waiting to hear from the Idaho State Tax Commission and the Internal Revenue Service on what actions they may take against Martinson.

“Neither agency has been forthcoming so far, though they each have legal remedies they could choose to exercise in this matter,” Hayes said.

Scott Maben

Man receives 11-year sentence for robbery that left him wounded

A robber who fled a north Spokane home after being struck with a sword has been sentenced to nearly 11 years in prison.

Nathan T. McDaniels, 28, alias Gardner, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit first-degree burglary and two counts of first-degree robbery and was sentenced by Superior Court Judge Greg Sypolt on Wednesday to 129 months, according to court records.

McDaniels was arrested in May for a robbery in the 9600 block of North Alpine Court, as was Nathan W. Day, 21.

Joshua Clint Epperson, 32 was arrested later in May. Erik J. Zacher, 26, was arrested in July.

The men are accused of entering the home about 2:45 a.m. on May 2, binding residents with zip ties and pistol whipping them. The attackers asked about a safe and stole several items. Police found a stolen Wii console and baggies of methamphetamine when they arrested Day at a home in the 900 block of East Wabash Avenue. They say he had a stolen handgun with him that may have been used in the robberies.

One resident told police four men knocked on the door and he let McDaniels in to use the bathroom. One of the men asked him if he wanted to smoke meth, and the man said he walked the men downstairs to wake up his girlfriend. That’s when Day displayed the gun and the man was bound with zip ties as others stole items from the home, court documents say.

The man broke free from the zip ties, grabbed a sword and struck McDaniels in the arm with it.

Meghann M. Cuniff