Woman to be sentenced on theft charge

PONDERAY — A former Ponderay One Stop gas station employee is scheduled to be sentenced later this month on a grand theft charge.

According to court documents, Shannon Marie Baker, 57, told Ponderay Police Officer Cameron Simeral that she “may have stolen $31,000” from her workplace after being questioned in connection to missing funds at the business. Baker, who managed the gas station, was contacted by her boss when they discovered that deposit slips did not add up to cash actually deposited.

Baker’s coworker Nellie Rains told Ponderay Police that the deposit slips from June 28 to July 11 this summer had been left inside the safe with just the change remaining. Baker admitted to taking the bills out of the envelopes and pocketing them herself, the affidavit said.

In total, Baker was accused of taking a little over $32,000. According to the probable cause affidavit, Baker used the funds to purchase scratch, Powerball and other lottery tickets, as well as for online gaming and gambling.

Baker pleaded guilty to grand theft in September. She is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 22.

Grand theft in the state of Idaho carries a one- to 20-year prison sentence and up to a $10,000 fine.