CoiNuts owner faces charges
A grand jury in Kootenai County on Wednesday indicted the owner and operators of CoiNuts coin shop on felony charges of grand theft by false promise.
Owner and operator Kevin E. Mitchell, 48, declined to comment Thursday about the charges in 1st District Court against him and his stepdaughter, Sarah M. Mitchell, 31.
"I'm just now hearing about it, so I don't know what there is to say," Kevin Mitchell said Thursday.
Kootenai County Prosecutor Barry McHugh declined to comment, as the case is now pending.
According to the indictment, in 2009 and continuing through 2012, Kevin Mitchell allegedly schemed to defraud customers.
The indictment lists alleged victims William H. Highly, Lori-Ann Tierney, Thelma Hallgren, Marilyn and Mike Haenke, Francis Parody, Gerald Park, and Delia M. Beck as being allegedly defrauded of funds in excess of $1,000.
Alleged victim Gerald Park declined to comment Thursday at the urging of McHugh. Last year, The Press reported that Park was allegedly ripped off for $49,000 after paying for gold coins that were never delivered.
Kevin Mitchell's alleged scheme was conducted "by expressed and/or implied representation that he would provide gold and/or silver in the future when he had no such intention," according to the indictment.
The indictment against Sarah Mitchell said in 2011 and 2012 she allegedly schemed to defraud customers. Sarah Mitchell worked at the store, which when open was located at 296 W. Sunset Ave., just off U.S. 95.
Her indictment lists multiple alleged victims, too, including Michael and Corrine Thompson, Pamela Bailey, Gary Russell, Gary Hall, Michael Clark and Harmut Leuschner, among others.
"I'm very glad that Prosecutor Barry McHugh's office has not forgotten about Mr. Leuschner and the other victims of the Mitchells," Coeur d'Alene attorney Robert Romero, who represents Leuschner, said Thursday. "A lot of people lost a lot of money."
The Idaho Attorney General's Office has an ongoing lawsuit against Kevin Mitchell for alleged consumer protection act violations. Deputy Attorney General Stephanie Guyon, who is handling the case, said a second hearing on the state's motion for summary judgment against Kevin Mitchell is scheduled for May 9 in 1st District Court.