Jail ordered in Goodwill theft case

SANDPOINT — A former Goodwill Industries bookkeeper who pleaded guilty to writing unauthorized checks on the charitable group’s account was sentenced Monday to three weeks in jail.

District Judge Steve Verby also ordered Rose Ann Bond to pay $6,560 in restitution and placed her on supervised probation for five years.

Bond declined to address the court before she was sentenced.

Bond, 53, of Hope, was charged with grand theft for allegedly writing more than a dozen unauthorized checks to cover personal expenses and those of her daughter, according to the court documents.

The circumstances which led Bond to commit the thefts were outlined in a presentence report, the confidential dossier of a defendant’s personal background which judges use in weighing sentence.

However, it was revealed in court that Bond was using the illegal gains to help her daughter, who was struggling with methamphetamine use and the threat of losing custody of her child because of her drug use.

Bond, it was divulged, was determined to keep her granddaughter out of foster care because she was placed into such custody and abused when she was 9 years old.

Bond attempted to stifle back sobs and wept when Verby referenced the abuse in her past. A brief recess was called so Bond could compose herself.

Bonner County Chief Deputy Public Defender Janet Whitney noted that Bond cooperated with authorities and had no prior scrapes with the law.

“She has taken responsibility. She confessed to the crime right away,” Whitney said.

Bonner County Deputy Prosecutor Jim Frazier agreed that Bond’s criminal conduct was an “aberration,” but said the nature of the offense warranted a period of incarceration.

“We think she needs to serve some time in jail,” he said.

A representative from Goodwill did not attend the hearing, but a financial officer for the charitable organization submitted remarks which underscored the impact Bond’s actions have had on Goodwill and the 16 clients who were deprived of their disability benefits.

Verby adopted the state’s recommendation for 21 days in jail and imposed 300 hours of community service. Bond was also fined $500 and ordered to pay another $500 in reimbursement for defense costs.

“There’s nothing showing that she’s led a life of crime,” Verby said.