Former Lincoln County Commissioner Sentenced for Theft Involving Fire Dept.

July 22--SHOSHONE -- A former Lincoln County commissioner was sentenced Friday to two years of probation almost five years after money went missing from a fire department's fundraising account.

Jay Loesche, 50, was charged with two felony counts of grand theft and felony insurance fraud after prosecutors said he transferred funds from the Shoshone fire department's account to his own bank account, including $1,700 of the fire department's money intended to be used for repairs.

In a plea deal, Loesche's charges were dropped to two counts of petit theft. He was also ordered to perform 100 hours of community service, to pay court costs, restitution of about $3,000 and he was banned from Shoshone Fire District property. A judge also sentenced Loesche to 180 days in jail, but suspended it.

In July 2012, detectives got a search warrant for the fire department's account at Pioneer Federal Credit Union. Police compared this to the bookkeeping account given by Loesche.

Police found six checks or withdrawals totaling more than $3,000 that Loesche made.

In October 2012, Loesche came in for a voluntary interview at the Twin Falls Police Department and discussed the transactions with detectives. When police asked about one check, written for $1,700, Loesche said it was for repair to his truck that had been damaged by a fire department employee while the two were on duty.

On an insurance claim for the damage, made Nov. 17, 2009, Loesche described the incident, saying what while he was towing a trailer, the hitch broke, damaging his pickup. A co-worker of Loesche's at Wood River Motors, told police that Loesche told him the damage happened when he had his trailer hooked up to his truck and forgot to lower the tailgate before pulling away from the trailer.

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