Amy Edwards, aka Amy Kanuck was recently ordered to serve 36 months of probation on a suspended 36-90 month prison sentence for a category B felony theft charge in which she admitted to personally utilizing financial assets of the Rotary Club service organization of which she was president in Winnemucca between 2016 to 2018.
The amount of theft alleged was originally approximately $13,000. The final restitution amount ordered to be paid back to the Rotary Club by Edwards is $8,000 once financial records were thoroughly reviewed by all parties.
The category B felony includes a potential 1-10 years in prison and a maximum $5,000 fine, with eligibility for probation.
The plea agreement in the case stipulated that both parties recommend probation as a sentence, with the ability for Edwards to withdraw the felony plea and plead to a gross misdemeanor charge if/when the probation terms are successfully fulfilled.
Attorney Richard Davies represented Edwards, and said that over a period of time when Edwards was the president of Rotary Club in Winnemucca, she experienced health challenges and a large amount of life stress, admitting to a period of co-mingling personal and business funds.
“She is confident and determined to get the $8,000 back to the Rotary Club and make them whole,” said Davies. “Once restitution is paid in full, the conviction can be amended to a gross misdemeanor, which gives a lot of motivation to make the Rotary Club whole.”
Davies also mentioned to the court that the presentence investigation report shows a felony embezzlement arrest in 2009, a charge that shouldn’t have appeared since it reportedly should have been “sealed” by another attorney hired by Edwards.
Edwards chose not to make a statement to the court in her allotted allocution time at the sentencing hearing.
Sixth Judicial District Court Judge Michael Montero ordered that Edwards pay the $8,000 in restitution to the Rotary Club and pay a $3 DNA collection fee and $25 administrative assessment fee.
The court further ordered Edwards to a 36-90 month prison sentence with 12 days credit for time served. The prison sentence was suspended to allow Edwards to complete a 36-month probation with all standard conditions.
As a condition of probation, Edwards was ordered to serve 60 days in the Humboldt County Detention Center to begin on Oct. 4.
The Rotary Club is a service organization dedicated to improving community livelihood through fundraisers and service projects by developing community partnerships and serving the community in various projects.
“This is an offense where the trust of the local service organization has been seriously breached,” said Montero. “And I understand that these negotiations were in a large part making sure the victim is made whole but the court also feels that there needs to be some consequences in addition to the restitution.”
