APPLETON, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — Eleven forgery counts will stay in place against the former treasurer for Black Creek Rescue Service – who allegedly stole more than $130,000 from the organization, a judge ruled Thursday.
Kathleen Pasch, 64, faced 11 counts of forgery and one count of theft in excess of $100,000. Pasch allegedly forged checks and made numerous ATM withdrawals to fund a gambling habit, according to the criminal complaint. The charges were filed in June 2019.
Outagamie County Judge Emily Lonergan had previously dismissed a count of theft of more than $100,000 because the state failed to preserve evidence in the form of a thumb drive with records on it. She ruled the failure to keep and turn over apparently exculpatory evidence meant Pasch could not be tried fairly on that count.
On Thursday, she ruled that the 11 remaining forgery counts will stand, however, because the issues relate to those specific checks – while the theft count encompassed all of the evidence and transactions, including legitimate ones. However, the jury will also be read an instruction regarding the destroyed evidence, for them to consider the issue during deliberations, Lonergan said.
