Woman jailed after skipping sentencing

COEUR d’ALENE — A woman who pleaded guilty to stealing more than $1,500 in merchandise from Walmart and then skipped her sentencing is back in jail.

Ty Gardipe, 30, pleaded guilty last November to burglary and grand theft, both felonies, about a month after Hayden Walmart staff accused her of shoplifting.

Security footage reportedly showed Gardipe and another woman, Justice Dubray, placing numerous items in reusable shopping bags and then attempting to leave the store without paying. The merchandise included 15 DVD box sets, housewares like curtains and bedding, an instant photo camera and other miscellaneous items, according to court records.

Gardipe reportedly told Kootenai County sheriff’s deputies that she stole the items with the intention of selling them in Spokane.

Police arrested Gardipe at the scene, along with Dubray, who later pleaded guilty to grand theft.

After pleading guilty to grand theft and burglary, Gardipe was released on her own recognizance pending sentencing. She failed to appear in court in late January, however, and a judge issued a $20,000 warrant for her arrest.

Police arrested Gardipe in Flathead, Mont., in late February. She returned to Idaho and was booked into the Kootenai County jail late Wednesday, where she remains.

Dubray also failed to appear for a pre-sentence interview, according to court records, and is wanted on a $20,000 warrant.

In Idaho, grand theft is punishable by up to 14 years in prison, while burglary is punishable by a minimum of one year in prison and a maximum of 10 years.