HAVEN Executive Director Marcee Manning released a statement Monday, July 11, in which she wrote that the “dedicated staff and board of HAVEN are devastated by the conduct of the former director.” The statement continued on to say Manning was appointed as director in October and in the past eight months, Manning and the board and staff have “cooperated fully with the investigation, completed a thorough audit utilizing an independent accounting firm, and implemented stronger fiscal policies to ensure the continuity of Haven’s vital services.”
Tara Koch
According to the statement, HAVEN has pledged full cooperation in the prosecution of Koch. Manning also offered thanks to the attorney general, assistant attorneys general and Department of Justice investigators working on the case.
“Haven will continue to support and advocate on behalf of victims of domestic violence and sexual assault,” Manning wrote.
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Tara Koch, former executive director of HAVEN from Domestic and Sexual Violence in The Dalles, was arrested Thursday night in Washington County on 26 counts of theft, identity theft and forgery.
Koch’s charges include seven counts of theft in the first degree, nine counts of aggravated theft in the first degree, two counts of theft in the second degree, three counts of identity theft, one count of aggravated identity theft and four counts of forgery in the first degree, according to Wasco County District Attorney Matthew Ellis.
The victim in all of the theft charges is HAVEN, a non-profit organization that provides support to survivors of domestic and sexual violence, Ellis said.
Each charge of theft denotes how much money was stolen from HAVEN in a three-month period, with theft in the second degree being more than $100, theft in the first degree being more than $1,000 and aggravated theft in the first degree being more than $10,000.
Counts of identity theft and forgery likely refer to signing off on something pretending to be another member of the HAVEN board, Ellis said.
Koch left her position as executive director of HAVEN in October 2021, with the reasons for her departure being previously unknown. The charges now show that she is accused of stealing from HAVEN and forging signatures of people within the organization.
Koch was released shortly after the arrest on a bail of $25,000, according to the Washington County Jail website, and is awaiting arraignment.
HAVEN representatives have said they will release an official statement on Monday.
This story is developing and will be updated as it continues to unfold.
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