By Sharyn L. Decker
Lewis County Sirens news reporter
CHEHALIS – The now-former manager at Yard Birds who admitted to police he pocketed thousands of dollars on the job saying he’d gone bankrupt and was behind in his medical bills pleaded guilty today and is working to pay the money back.
David E. Briscoe
David E. Briscoe, 58, was charged in April with first-degree theft. He appeared out-of-custody this morning in Lewis County Superior Court.
His lawyer David Brown said he is trying to sell some property, to make restitution.
The Centralia man was responsible for managing the business’s swap meet area, vendors, storage units and recreational vehicle spaces on the property at the 2100 block of North National Avenue in Chehalis, according to police.
In his written statement read aloud by Judge James Lawler, Briscoe said he collected rent payments and kept them, and that it went on for three years, resulting in significant financial harm to the victim.
The crime, with the major economic offense enhancement, carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine, or as little as zero to 90 days in jail given his lack of a criminal history, the judge said.
Lewis County Deputy Prosecutor Mark McClain said he plans to ask for one year and a day, while defense attorney David Brown will be requesting something less.
He was not sentenced today, but a date was set for Sept. 25, when they would meet again and schedule the hearing.
They are giving it some time, to see if over the next couple of months Briscoe can get prosecutors to change their mind about their recommendation, McClain said.
McClain said he’s not sure how much money was stolen, but thinks it could be more than $40,000, and said Briscoe has indicated it was at least $20,000.
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For background, read “Police: Yardbirds employee stole thousands of dollars from business” from Tuesday April 29, 2014, here
Tags: By Sharyn L. Decker, news reporter
And also, Extenuating Circumstances, the 18 year old kid with no priors who stole from granma’s safe and blew it all in a drinking/gambling binge AND who wanted to pay back 20% with his trust fund… got five years in prison.
Panesco on the KELA “Let’s Talk about it” says that the public doesn’t always have all the information that a judge or lawyers have when sentences are imposed. Why not? If a decision is BASED on that information, then let the public KNOW that information.
Perhaps each case is unique enough that each sentence is exactly appropriate. But I also wonder if a judge ever just gets up on the wrong side of the bed and takes it out at work.
The sentence has yet to be imposed. Don’t forget Keith Birdwell stole one million dollars and got off with just one year of house arrest. If he fails to make restitution all that can be imposed is 364 days in jail.
Deborah Knapp stole $200,000 give or take. Nobody seems to be sure of the actual amount. Like, no one knows where the rest of the $400,000 endowment fund disappeared too. Nor seems to care – interesting. She only received a 14 month sentence – actually more like 10 months with time off for good behavior.
If they break off ten years prison time for this case… something’s going to smell even fishier about the other two cases sighted above.
What is becoming of our county!! The penalty is 10 years and this guy who admitted to this outrageous crime could get off with possibly no time to a year. What an insult to the owner of Yardbirds who has given much to our community and a fine example of our court system in Lewis County to the good people who live here. His property should be taken and he should serve time to the full extent of the law. Mr. McClain’s request of a year and a day is ridiculously less than what Briscoe deserves for a scam crime like this. This is just another scam in my opinion. Sincerely, I hope Judge Lawler sees through it and puts him in prison for a very long time as the punishment is written.
So let’s see we are not sure how much was stolen but the person who committed the crime says it was $20, 000? Yeah that is a credible course.
I had a feeling that gu6 was shady. They should have keep Bob Gilbert as manager