Trial looms in theft case

SANDPOINT — It appears a jury will decide whether a Bonner County woman embezzled funds from a Sandpoint midwifery clinic.

No resolution emerged during a pretrial hearing in 1st District Court on Friday, clearing the way for Samantha Sue Wasylko to be tried on a charge of grand theft next month. Attempts to resolve the matter through civil mediation also failed to bear fruit, court records show.

Wasylko, 43, is accused of embezzled funds from the Pend Oreille Midwifery Clinic over a 10-month period in 2015, a criminal complaint alleges. Wasylko was employed as the clinic’s office manager at the time of the thefts.

The case emerged last year, after the company’s accountant reviewed the clinic’s financial records and discovered there were irregularities, according to preliminary hearing testimony.

Wasylko allegedly pocketed cash payments she collected and then used her log-in credentials in a bookkeeping program to omit references to the payments.

Wasylko is accused of withholding more than $10,000 in cash payments, according to court documents.

Wasylko invoked her right to remain silent during the preliminary hearing and did not testify. Her defense counsel, Sandpoint attorney Jeremy Featherston, sought to raise doubts about his client’s involvement by noting that others in the clinic could have used Wasylko’s credentials.

Wasylko pleaded not guilty to the charge last fall.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.