For the week of September 18 - 24, 2002

Third Angel Wings 
thief sentenced

---

By GREG MOORE
Express Staff Writer

The third of four defendants in the Angel Wings embezzlement case was sentenced Monday to a prison term of three to five years, all suspended pending the outcome of a 180-day stay in a work center or penitentiary.

Rhonda Linderman, 31, had pleaded guilty to one count of grand theft by embezzlement. In handing down the sentence, 5^th District Judge James May called her crime a "premeditated, complicated, continuing embezzling over a period of seven months."

Linderman and the other defendants stole about $150,000 in cash and merchandise last year from the now-defunct Ketchum gift store, through direct theft and fraudulent use of credit cards.

While the store’s owners, Val Dumke and her family, sat in the front row of the court’s gallery, Linderman tearfully admitted her wrongdoing.

"I know I’ve caused a lot of pain and grief to a family that was good to me," she said. "I know they trusted me and I betrayed them."

Linderman’s attorney, Lee Ritzau, said his client’s purchases of clothing, jewelry and other luxury items was prompted by a long-term self-esteem problem. However, he acknowledged that his client had made a bad mistake.

"Counsel is correct when he says Miss Linderman made a mistake," Prosecuting Attorney Jim Thomas said in response. "The problem is she made it over and over and over again."

As part of her sentence, Linderman was ordered to pay $22,370 in restitution. During her 180-day confinement, she will receive psychological counseling and education toward completion of her GED.

A sentencing hearing for the fourth defendant, Luz Clara Ayala, 42, also took place on Monday. However, sentencing was postponed to Sept. 30 after her attorney, Dan Dolan, disputed facts in her pre-sentencing report related to the over $9,000 worth of Angel Wings merchandise found in her house. Dolan contended much of that had been gifts from the Dumkes. He demanded that all of it be brought into court as exhibits so that that could be sorted out.

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.