SHOSHONE, Idaho — A Lincoln County woman is facing 32 felony grand theft charges, accused of stealing thousands of dollars from the Lincoln County Youth Center.
WATCH: Woman charged with stealing from Lincoln County Youth Center
Heather Huffman, who worked as the payroll clerk and site manager at the center, made her first court appearance Tuesday.
Public court records obtained by Idaho News 6 outline allegations that Huffman wrote herself checks totaling more than $37,000 over the course of two years. On several occasions, charging documents accuse Huffman of writing additional checks to herself that were not under the guise of payroll.
The Lincoln County Youth Center provides after-school programs and low-cost day care to dozens of Idaho families.
Huffman worked at the youth center until August. According to court records, the center's founder, Rebecca Wood, who also serves as a county commissioner, reported the thefts to the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office in late September. Huffman was arrested Oct. 9.
According to the affidavit, Huffman told investigators no one was making her overpay herself — she was doing it to keep a roof over her family's head.
Citing the ongoing case, Wood declined to comment on the charges.
At Tuesday's arraignment, Huffman was assigned a public defender. Each of the 32 felony charges she faces carries a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.
A preliminary hearing for Huffman is scheduled for Oct. 20.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
