Former HAVEN Director Tara Koch will plead not guilty
Tara Koch. Photo from Zoominfo.com
By Cole Goodwin
Tara Koch, the former Executive Director of Haven from Domestic and Sexual Violence in The Dalles, appeared via an internet public Webex hearing on charges of theft, identity theft and forgery on October 31st, 2022.
Koch has been accused of 26 charges related to the theft of a minimum of $96,000 from Haven.
Koch was arrested and then released on bail in July of 2022.
Over the past month Koch has received a court appointed attorney Jody Stutsman Vaughn of Pendleton Law Office, been granted a waiver of extradition, and according to her new attorney, Koch has now entered a plea of not guilty.
“We’ve entered a not guilty plea,” said Vaughn.
The next hearing scheduled for December 19th, 2022, may well be the official plea hearing, although it is uncertain whether things will proceed in that manner at this time.
If Koch does plead not guilty before Judge Karen Ostrye on the 19th then the case will go to trial.
In the meantime, Koch has been granted a waiver of extradition.
Ostrye granted Koch’s travel requests to travel to Washington State for employment opportunities and to possibly reside in Washington with a friend on October 27th.
The request was initially opposed. However Ostrye approved the request, following the sharing of additional information such as the reason for travel, location of travel, contact information and a letter in which Koch stated she had no current active passport and no intentions of violating and or the restrictions connected with her release or bail.
Attend the hearing
Phone: 1-503-388-9555 (Access Code: 146 482 2652 # #)
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Meeting Number: 146 482 2652
Meeting Password: Hoodcrim5!
In case you missed it, here’s an update on the case so far
The Secret Indictment
On June 9th, 2022 the secret indictment of Tara Koch was filed at Wasco County Circuit Court.
The Arrest
On July 7th, 2022, Koch was arrested in Washington County on 26 charges.
Koch has been charged with six counts of first degree theft, two counts of second degree theft and nine counts of aggravated theft from Haven, a non-profit organization that offers support and advocacy for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, and stalking in Wasco, Sherman, Gilliam and Wheeler Counties.
Aggravated theft is a Class B felony for theft of $10,000 or more. First degree theft is a Class C felony for theft of $1,000 or more and second degree theft is a misdemeanor for the theft of $100 or more.
Bringing the total amount of money allegedly embezzled from Haven to more than $96,200.
Koch’s bail was set at $250,000.
At 11:04 p.m. that same day, $25,000 (10% down on $250,000) was paid in cash to the Wasco County Circuit Court to secure Koch’s bail.
Koch agreed at that time to appear in court on August 1st, 2022.
A complete list of the charges brought against Koch are as follows:
Count I: Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.055/164.085, C Felony
Count 2: Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.055/164.085, C Felony
Count 3: Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.055/164.085, C Felony
Count 4: Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.055/164.085, C Felony
Count 5: Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057/164.085, B Felony
Count 6: Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057/164.085, B Felony
Count 7: Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057/164.085, B Felony
Count 8: Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057/164.085, B Felony
Count 9: Theft in the Second Degree, ORS 164.045/164.085, A Misdemeanor
Count 10: Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.055, C Felony
Count 11: Theft in the Second Degree, ORS 164.045/164.085, A Misdemeanor
Count 12: Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057, C Felony
Count 13: Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057, B Felony
Count 14: Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057, B Felony
Count 15: Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057, B Felony
Count 16: Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057, B Felony
Count 17: Aggravated Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057, B Felony
Count 18: Theft in the First Degree, ORS 164.057, C Felony
Count 19: Identity Theft, ORS 165.800, C Felony
Count 20: Forgery in the First Degree, ORS 165.013, C Felony
Count 21: Identity Theft, ORS 165.800, C Felony
Count 22: Forgery in the First Degree, ORS 165.013, C Felony
Count 23: Aggravated Identity Theft, ORS 165.803, B Felony
Count 24: Forgery in the First Degree, ORS 165.013, C Felony
Count 25: Identity Theft, ORS 165.800, C Felony
Count 26: Forgery in the First Degree, ORS 165.013, C Felony
Haven Releases Statement
On Monday July, 11th 2022 Haven released the following statement:
“The dedicated staff and board of Haven are devastated by the conduct of the former director of Haven. The Board appointed a new Director, Marcee Kukal Manning, in October of 2021. In the past eight months, Ms. Manning, the board and staff cooperated fully with the investigation, completed a thorough audit utilizing an independent accounting firm, and implemented stronger fiscal policies to ensure the continuity of Haven's vital services. Haven will continue to support and advocate on behalf of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault. Haven pledges full cooperation with the prosecution of its former director and thanks the Attorney General, Ellen Rosenblum, her Assistant Attorneys General and Department of Justice investigators for their hard work and assistance during this challenging period.”
Koch’s Indictment
On August 1st, 2022 at 9:45 a.m. Koch was indicted via an online hearing on Webex.
Judge John A. Olson presided over the indictment.
At that time Koch was made aware of the potential sentences associated with the charges brought against her.
Of the 26 charges brought against Koch, eight of them could entail more serious penalties.
Koch is being charged on 3 counts of identity theft and one account of aggravated identity theft, for having allegedly forged HAVEN board members signatures which are Class C felonies. In Oregon, a Class C felony can result in a maximum of five years in prison, a fine as much as $125,000 or both.
Koch is also being charged on four counts of forgery in the first degree, for having allegedly defrauded IRS 990 forms. In Oregon, conviction of a Class B felony can result in a maximum prison term of ten years, a potential fine of $250,000 or both.
In regards to the counts of identity theft and forgery, the indictment alleged that Koch had used the identities of Haven board members Leslie Wolf and Carol Friend to sign checks and other documents and used Wolf’s identity in ten separate instances within a three-month period.
Koch was given a no-contact order stating she was not to have any contact with Wolf, Friend, or anyone affiliated with Haven.
At the indictment, Judge Olson recused himself from overseeing any more court proceedings of the case due to a personal conflict of interest in regards to one of the victims.
Judge Stauffer and Judge Wolf also recused themselves from the case.
The Hearings
No plea occurred at the Tara Koch plea hearing proceedings which took place on August 22nd, 2022, at 9:58 a.m. due to a lack of an available public defender. So, an additional hearing was scheduled for October 31st, 2022 at 9:45 a.m.
Shifts in the Prosecution
Helen T Lee an attorney with the State Attorney General’s office was initially assigned to prosecute the case.
However Lee then began working as a Law Clerk for the Oregon Supreme Court causing Tobias Tingleaf, Senior Attorney at the Oregon Department of Justice took over the prosecution of the Koch case in September.
Koch Appointed a Public Defender
On October 10th, 2022 Koch finally received a court appointed attorney: Jody Stutsman Vaughn. Vaughn is an experienced attorney who has tried over 300 trials, and according to the Pendleton Law website “is an expert in search and seizure law, traffic stops, and challenging search warrants.”
Request to Travel Granted
Koch had requested a waiver of extradition but it had been opposed.
Koch then again requested to travel to Washington State for employment opportunities and to travel to possibly reside in Washington with a friend.
The request included additional information such as the type of travel, location of travel, and additional contact information.
Koch stated that she had no current active passport and no intentions of violating and or the restrictions connected with her release or bail.
Judge Karen Ostrye granted the request on October 27th, 2022.
Hearing Scheduled
The next hearing, scheduled for December 19th, 2022. It has yet to be determined if Koch will make an official plea at that time.
Attend the Hearing
Phone: 1-503-388-9555 (Access Code: 146 482 2652 # #)
Video: signin.webex.com/join
Meeting Number: 146 482 2652
Meeting Password: Hoodcrim5!
