BEND, OR -- A Bend woman accused of stealing from her own nonprofit is scheduled to make her first court appearance later this month. Dawn Marie Holland is charged with 10 counts of Aggravated Theft. 

Deschutes County District Attorney Steve Gunnels says embezzlement cases are especially difficult to investigate because of the expertise needed to go over the books, "To make sure that the expenses match the receipts and that there’s a good paper trail to prove that there were inappropriate diversions of money from appropriate uses."

Gunnels says Bend Police investigated for almost 10 months after receiving a tip in July from DAWNS House, a local sober living facility for women. Holland is the former Executive Director of DAWNS House. The initial acusation came from the nonprofit's Vice President. "The Bend Police Department started this particular investigation and reached out to the Oregon Department of Justice for additional assistance to look into the books, look into the records," says Gunnels, "To make sure that what was being reported to the Bend Police Department actually came clear through a thorough accounting of the books." Holland was indicted by a Grand Jury May third; she was arrested six days later. "There has been significant evidence produced in the investigation that supports those charges," Gunnels tells KBND News, "And we hope to present those facts to a jury down the road."

Gunnels acknowledges this type of investigation is complicated and lengthy, "People who are embezzling money tend to try to cover their tracks, so it does take a long time - a decent amount of time - to investigate these cases. And we want to make sure that we’re really thorough and accurate, and that we’re not just assuming certain entries in books are fraudulent when there’s a plausible explanation." He says cases involving nonprofits can be especially tough because the organizations often worry the investigation could jeopardize their mission. In this case, Gunnels says, DAWNS House reported the theft and is cooperating. 

Holland is scheduled to be arraigned May 30th.