Woman granted continuance after crops fail

Senior Judge Noel Manoukian granted a three-month continuance for a woman who still owes more than $100,000 in a 4-year-old embezzlement case.

Robin Ecklund, 51, who now lives in California, said she had suffered a setback when crops failed on her mother's farm.

Laywer Tod Young said Ecklund was to be paid by her mother, but crops were destroyed this summer by a freeze.

Ecklund said grapes and figs on the farm would be harvested in a month.

She has paid $22,167 of the $150,549 she embezzled seven years ago from Marquis Title and Escrow Co.

According to probation officials, Ecklund is more than $12,000 in arrears on her court-ordered payments of $750-a-month.

She made no payments for several months this year.

Manoukian ordered Ecklund to offer proof of the 300 job applications she said she sent out, and regular financial records.

Ecklund said she thought she could pay $200 a month.

"Every time I figure out I can do a payment, something happens," Ecklund said.

Young said Ecklund had no new criminal violations and wasn't using drugs or alcohol.

"She has just struggled with money," he said. "It's happening across the country and with a felony conviction, that makes her just a little further down the list of people getting hired."

Prosecutor Karen Dustman said Ecklund has had seven years to repay the embezzled money.

"We've got about a year left of probation and a very upset victim," said Tami Matus, probation officer.

Manoukian continued the review until Nov. 2.