Accused embezzler differs on amount taken

A 36-year-old Columbia Falls woman has been charged with embezzling about $7,600 from Schellinger Construction.

Nicole Rae McCubbins pleaded guilty to a single charge of felony theft in Flathead County District Court on Oct. 2. She faces up to 10 years and a $50,000 fine, but a plea deal discussed during the omnibus hearing calls for a three-year deferred sentence.

In court, McCubbins said she only took about $4,000. She also explained that she took the money to help make ends meet when her health insurance through employment at Schellinger wasn’t enough to pay for a broken leg.

According to court records, a Schellinger manager contacted authorities on Oct. 9, 2013, after $1,800 had gone missing from a concrete sale. A further review found $7,670 missing from May 1, 2013 through Oct. 9, 2013.

The manager said McCubbins was the only employee with access to both cash and the software to track cash. When confronted by authorities, she allegedly admitted to stealing cash once a week since spring 2013.

A motion by McCubbins’ defense attorney to substitute Judge Robert Allison for Judge Ted Lympus was approved, and McCubbins was released on her own recognizance. A sentencing hearing is set for Dec. 4, but there may also be a restitution hearing.