Admitted embezzler sentenced

SANDPOINT — A Washington state woman who admitted stealing from her former employer can avoid further incarceration if she makes good on an order of restitution.

First District Judge Charles Hosack imposed suspended prison and jail sentences in Sylvia Ann Fleenor’s grand theft case on Tuesday and ordered her to pay $31,623.51 in restitution.

Fleenor was accused of making more than 50 unauthorized withdrawals from the Healing Leaves Ministry account at a Priest River bank from 2007 to 2008. Healing Leaves provides health education information here and abroad, in addition to selling natural nutritional supplements and other health products.

Fleenor, a 36-year-old from Spokane, has said in court documents that she is schizophrenic and was not being treated for the condition. In a written plea agreement, Fleenor said voices in her head told her to commit the thefts.

Fleenor apologized for her actions during her sentencing and expressed regret for not seeking treatment.

“It hurts me that I hurt my friends, Mr. and Mrs. McClintock, and I would like to make restitution to them,” Fleenor said.

The McClintocks, the founders of Healing Leaves, did not attend the hearing but were advised of the proposed plea agreement and sentence recommendations, Bonner County Deputy Prosecutor Larry Goins said.

Goins recommended a suspended prison sentence of two to five years and five years of supervised probation, but asked the court to impose a six-month jail sentence because of the seriousness of the crime and repeated acts of thefts.

Chief Deputy Public Defender Janet Whitney emphasized that Fleenor admitted to the misconduct when she was confronted and recommended a suspended prison term of one to four years and a withheld judgment because Fleenor has an otherwise spotless criminal record.

Under a withheld judgment, the conviction could be removed from Fleenor’s record once she satisfies her court-imposed obligations.

But Hosack declined to grant such a judgment because it would depreciate the seriousness of the crime and also because of the repetitive nature of the thefts.

“It is not an appropriate situation for withheld judgment. There needs to a sentence imposed because of the goals of sentencing include punishment. This is criminal activity,” he said.

Hosack imposed a suspended two- to seven-year prison sentence. He also imposed a suspended 90-day jail sentence with credit for nine days. Hosack explained the balance of the suspended jail term — 81 days — was meant to foster Fleenor’s compliance with the restitution order.