By Alan Sorensen
The sentencing of the woman who admitted stealing more than $10,000 from fines paid into Havre City Court has been rescheduled for tomorrow.
Joan Daulton, aka Joan Nordon, 39, was scheduled for sentencing in 12th Judicial District Court last Friday, but the court action was moved to Tuesday at 2 p.m.
Daulton pleaded guilty Feb. 22 to the theft of $10,679. The funds were taken from the court between December 1997 and August 2000, while she was employed as city court clerk.
District Court Judge John Warner advised Daulton of her rights before accepting her plea in February. According a Daily News account at the time, the plea came as the result of a plea agreement between Daulton's attorney and the county attorney. That agreement asked that Daulton receive 60 days in jail, make restitution, and receive probation and was read aloud by Warner before he accepted her plea.
Daulton could receive a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and fines of up to $50,000 for felony theft.
Daulton allegedly signed for funds received from the Havre Police Department and from people paying court ordered fines, but not depositing the funds or process the tickets through the court system. City Judge Joyce Perszyk discovered the missing funds while Daulton was on vacation. She immediately notified the Havre Police who started an investigation.
A search of Daulton's east Havre home by Havre police and an agent of the Montana Department of Justice on Aug. 23, 2000 turned up complaints, receipts and time-pay cards belonging to the court.
