Koch's dismissal motion admits to taking Haven money for personal use; trial set for Oct.

By Tom Peterson

Former Haven Executive Director Tara Koch’s trial is set for Oct. 15.

By Tom Peterson

The Dalles, Ore., Sept. 19, 2024 — The Former Director of Haven accused of stealing more than $96,000 from the shelter for domestic and sexual violence is asking 10 of her 26 charges be dismissed because she did not conceal the theft on credit cards and checks.

The request for dismissal filed on Monday, Sept. 16, comes just 29 days before the start of Tara Koch’s trial before Wasco County Circuit Court Judge Marion Weatherford on Oct. 15.

The Oregon Attorney General’s Office is prosecuting the case against Koch, who has waived her right to a jury trial.

In the motion to dismiss, Koch’s attorney Jody Vaughn states the charges of theft through deception lack the element of intent because board members had access to her employee credit card statements and board members signed checks to Koch’s personal bankruptcy attorney.

Without the element of intent, Vaughn argues the charges are under time limits that have now run out.

“Defendant took money unlawfully from Haven in one of two ways,” Vaughn wrote. “The first way… was by charging personal expenses on her business credit card. It was the standard practice of Haven to allow the issuance of credit cards to employees to pay for Haven-related expenses… The investigation… shows that the defendant took money from Haven by charging personal expenses on credit cards issued in her own name. Members of the Haven Board of Directors had access to bank accounts, including credit cards, and could have reviewed these documents without defendant’s knowledge or approval. Defendant did not nothing to conceal her use of Haven’s credit card for personal expenses.”

“The second way that defendant took money from Haven was to prepare checks for personal expenses and presented them to board members for signature,” Vaughn wrote. “In particular, defendant prepared checks payable to Hershner Hunter, LLP for the purpose of paying her legal fees for services associated with her bankruptcy filing… Each of these checks was presented to one or more board members for signature. By signing these checks, the board member(s) authorized the payment as evidenced by the checks even though Hershner Hunter LLP had no business relationship with or had provided service to Haven.”

Koch’s case has been pending for two years and two months.

Koch’s trial has been delayed due to various conflicts of interest and a shortage of public defenders. Koch’s attorney Jody Stutsman Vaughn also requested additional time for the discovery process. That process involves exchanging information about the witnesses and evidence that will be presented at trial.

Koch was first arrested on July 7, 2022 in Washington County on 26 charges. Koch was 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.

Minimally, that brings the total amount of money allegedly embezzled from Haven to more than $96,200.