Hearing delayed in BGH embezzlement case

SANDPOINT — A preliminary hearing is being postponed again in the embezzlement case pending against Bonner General Health's former chief financial officer.

The state and the defense moved jointly to postpone the hearing in Norilina Salvatierra Harvel's case, which was set for Wednesday in Bonner County Magistrate Court. It's the third time the hearing has been continued.

Prior continuances were sought due to the voluminous amount of discovery materials that needed to be exchanged between the state and the defense. The amount of discovery was cited again in the most recent continuance, although Bonner County Deputy Prosecutor Roger Hanlon and defense attorney Craig Zanetti cryptically added that the hearing may not be necessary.

"It is anticipated continuing the hearing until January 2016 will aid the parties in the finalizing the need for a preliminary hearing," the attorney said in a joint motion for a continuance.

Hanlon does not comment on pending cases and Zanetti has declined to comment about this case.

Harvel, a 47-year-old who now resides in Washington, Utah., is free on $50,000 bond while the case is pending.

Harvel was a 15-year employee of the community hospital, the last 10 years of which she served as CFO. She is accused of embezzling up to $220,000 in hospital funds from 2012 to 2014 through a variety of thefts and schemes.

One scheme involved the purchase of a piece of hospital equipment which was then sold to a leasing company. Harvel allegedly pocketed the proceeds and covered the lease payments with other misappropriated funds, according to hospital officials.

Hospital officials contend Harvel exploited the trust that was placed in her as a long-serving employee to carry out the thefts, which were uncovered after Harvel took a job with another hospital in Colorado.

Harvel is no longer employed by that facility and its operators have declined to comment on nature of her departure.