Theft suspect waives hearing

SANDPOINT — A plea agreement appears to be in the works for a Priest River man accused of using a Bonner County expense account to wrongfully obtain more than $1,000 in fuel.

John James Moler waived his right to a preliminary hearing on Wednesday. He is scheduled to be arraigned on a charge of felony theft on Feb. 22 in 1st District Court.

The terms of the plea agreement have not been disclosed.

Moler, 33, is free on his own recognizance while the case is pending, court records show.

Moler, a former weed department worker, allegedly used his knowledge of fuel purchasing procedures to fill up vehicles between January 2010 to December 2010.

The Priest River Police Department was called upon to investigate the fuel purchases after Bonner County Public Works officials noticed suspicious charges at Mac’s on Highway 57. Video surveillance equipment at the filling station was used to connect Moler to the suspicious charges, according to the police report.

When Moler was confronted by police, he denied being involved in the thefts but later confessed, the police report said.

He allegedly admitted purchasing fuel for himself and his ex-girlfriend during a nine-month period.