TF woman pleads guilty to theft

Elizabeth Riffle of Thompson Falls, a woman charged for stealing from a local business in Thompson Falls in 2019, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in 20th Judicial District Court. She admitted to the felonies of theft of a common scheme and unlawful use of a computer. The plea came after a long discussion by the parties before Judge Deborah “Kim” Christopher on Tuesday.

Prior to the court date, a plea agreement had been signed by all parties except Riffle’s attorney, Kirk Krutilla. Krutilla argued against the plea, having concerns that the dollar amount attached to the plea agreement was higher than the facts of the case. Krutilla advised against the plea and refused to sign until after the discussion with Sanders County Attorney Naomi Leisz and Judge Christopher. To circumvent this concern, Krutilla had, prior to the court appearance, asked that his client be allowed to enter an Alford plea. The rare plea allows a defendant to represent their innocence, asserting that the evidence would be enough to persuade a judge or jury beyond a reasonable doubt.

After discussion, the court determined that such a plea would be unnecessary, as the dollar amount in the plea could be addressed afterward if the amount stolen, to which Riffle admitted, would be over $1,500 and less than $5,000. The higher number is what was referred to in the plea agreement and what Krutilla found contentious. During the discussion, Riffle maintained, against her attorney’s wishes, that she indeed wanted to progress with the plea agreement, regardless. Riffle’s sentencing has been set for January 4, 2022.