Embezzler gets 10-year prison sentence

COEUR d'ALENE — A former Hagadone Marine dockmaster was sentenced Thursday to 10 years in prison for embezzling almost half a million dollars from his employer.

Anthony Parks, 37, previously pleaded guilty to one count of grand theft for stealing $467,799 through small transactions at the marina between between 2005 and 2015. Kootenai County Deputy Prosecutor Jed Whitaker told The Press Friday that Parks will be eligible for probation after two years, and applauded Kootenai County District Court Judge Cynthia Meyer's decision in the case.

"I respect what she did and I think she made the right call," Whitaker said.

Parks was also ordered to pay $10,000 in restitution, which Whitaker said is the equivalent to The Resort's insurance deductible. Multiple civil lawsuits, he added, have been filed against Parks and will likely bring the total amount Parks pays to a higher amount.

According to court records, an employee with the Hagadone Corp. conducted an accounting review of the marina's books and discovered irregularities associated with cash refunds at the marina. The employee, according to records, would later tell police all the cash refunds were tied to boat rentals that never actually occurred.

Upon discovering the irregular refunds, the employee installed security cameras at the marina which, according to records, recorded Parks issuing a cash refund for $477 and putting the money in his pocket shortly after. When management confronted Parks on Oct. 15, 2015, he reportedly admitted to taking money on multiple instances as far back as 2009.

Law enforcement officers were informed of the allegations and according to investigators, Parks told them he conducted the fraudulent transactions two or three times a week between 2009 and 2015.

Court records state Parks said he started taking the money after he conducted a cash refund in 2009 and discovered he did not have to justify the refund to the accounting department. However, an audit of the marina's books revealed fraudulent cash refunds dating as far back as 2005.

Parks was arrested on Oct. 23, 2015, for grand theft.