Members of the Rainier Area Builders Community discovered in June that Brandon Hope had written “multiple checks out to himself totaling approximately $9,000,” court papers state. During a subsequent RABC board hearing, Hope was confronted about the missing money and he said “he had been ‘paying’ himself $200 a week,” according to court papers.
“The board informed him that he did not have the authority to pay himself anything for his volunteer work and any such compensation needed to be approved by the board.”
RABC is the parent corporation to the Rainier Historic Society, the Rainier Food Bank, the Ol’ School Thrift Shop and Ol’ School Gallery, all housed in the Rainier Historic School, according to the RABC website.
Hope, 36, former treasurer for RABC, had pleaded guilty to second-degree theft as part of a plea deal. Hope was supposed to be sentenced Wednesday, but his attorney, David Losteau, requested a continuance because the RABC may have included legitimate expenditures by Hope in its original restitution figure of $13,300.
Losteau said Hope “understands he’s going to pay back everything that he legitimately owes.”
Thurston County Superior Judge Gary Tabor agreed to allow Losteau to try to reach out to the RABC board to see whether it would reduce the restitution figure.
“I’m hoping they’re going to be a partner with me and Brandon in trying to sort through all the checks,” Losteau said.
However, Thurston County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney James Powers noted that Hope is on the hook for the entire $13,300 figure if RABC’s board does not agree to reduce it, because $13,300 of restitution is already written into the plea deal that Hope signed.
Losteau emphasized that his client is not trying to avoid paying restitution, only to avoid paying for legitimate expenditures he made to businesses and vendors that RABC did business with.
“Brandon knows that he crossed the line here,” Losteau said Wednesday. “He’s learned from this and he’s hoping that he can re-establish his presence and trust in the community.”
Powers said Hope likely faces minimal or perhaps no additional jail time at sentencing beyond what he has already served. The standard sentencing range for Hope’s offense of second-degree theft is up to 60 days in jail because Hope has no criminal history.
Former RABC board member Karen Creamer wrote in her victim impact statement to the court that she lost her position on the board due to Hope’s embezzlement.
She also wrote that the “most devastating, far reaching and obvious effect” of Hope’s embezzlement “is to the 1,700 families which the food bank serves. The money he took would have gone into food for the hungry of Thurston County and oftentimes beyond our county boundaries.”
Losteau said he believes Hope’s restitution could be lowered by several thousand dollars after the RABC board reviews it.
Hope’s sentencing hearing has been rescheduled for 1:30 p.m. on Sept. 14.
Jeremy Pawloski: 360-754-5465 jpawloski@theolympian.com
