Tuesday preliminary hearing set for former Portneuf Valley Soccer Club president accused of theft
BREAKING UPDATE: Christie Stone’s preliminary hearing has been continued again, with the judge saying the case will require significantly more court time to work through the evidence. Judge Cousins said the case is “paper heavy” and the parties expect to need about a day and a half — roughly 12 hours — for the preliminary hearing.
The court will work with county clerks to find a special date for the hearing. A status conference is scheduled for October 27 at 10:30 a.m.
Local News 8 will continue following the case and will update this story when a new preliminary hearing date is set.
BANNOCK COUNTY, Idaho (KIFI) – The former president of the Portneuf Valley Soccer Club is expected in court Tuesday morning for a preliminary hearing stemming from allegations that she misused nearly $220,000 from the organization.
Christie Stone is facing a felony grand theft charge following an internal audit into the soccer club’s finances.
Christie Stone | Akamai Advisors
Stone’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, September 22, before Judge Cousins. The hearing had previously been scheduled for July 21 but was moved to late September.
According to the incident report, Stone is accused of making personal purchases using the soccer club’s account. Investigators say the alleged transactions totaled nearly $220,000.
The report says the soccer club’s board questioned Stone about the transactions after they were discovered. According to investigators, Stone said she did not realize the soccer club account had been linked to her personal Idaho Central Credit Union credit card.
Stone first appeared in court after the charges were filed. During that hearing, her defense attorney waived the reading of the complaint.
Judge Eric Hunn previously stated the charge carries a potential sentence of one to 14 years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine if Stone is convicted.
Stone is not currently in custody.
Protocol of preliminary hearings?
For clarification, a preliminary hearing is not a trial. Prosecutors must present evidence for the court to determine whether there is enough probable cause for the case to proceed.
Stone has been accused of wrongdoing but has not been convicted of the charge.
Local News 8 will be in court Tuesday morning and will provide updates as the hearing develops.
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