Man sentenced in embezzlement case

The Daily Inter Lake

A man who embezzled from the Meadow Lake Homeowners Association was sentenced Thursday to 20 years with 15 suspended.

Theodore Hodges previously pleaded guilty to theft and forgery, both felonies.

He must pay restitution of $122,600, plus about $300 in fees in surcharges.

A condition of probation and parole is that he have no unnecessary or unapproved contact with the victims.

The sentence was a compromise in recommendations from County Attorney Ed Corrigan and defense attorney David Stufft. Corrigan recommended 20 years with 10 suspended; Stufft recommended 20 years, entirely suspended.

Hodges has been jailed for a year and a half, since he fled to Canada after the homeowners association asked for its financial records. Hodges was its treasurer.

He admitted stealing license plates from a friend's car, forging an insurance check that was issued for his mother-in-law's nursing home care, and driving to Calgary with nearly 30 credit cards and artwork worth an estimated $7,000 or so that belonged to his mother-in-law.

He was arrested without incident by immigration authorities and Canadian police two months later, on Dec. 29, 2003.

He reportedly stole money from the homeowners association to make credit card payments of about $6,000 per month.

Hodges, 65, has apologized for his crimes and said he hopes he lives long enough to repay his debts.