Orange City, Iowa — A Hudson, South Dakota woman facing felony theft by check charges related to alleged events in Sioux Center looks to be ready to plead guilty to a lesser charge.
According to the Sioux County arrest log, Sioux Center Police officers arrested 35-year-old Gretchen Marie Gardner, also known as Gretchen Marie Scott, on warrants for Second Degree Theft, Violation of Probation, and Failure to Appear.
Court records indicate that the Sioux Center Police Department alleges that Gardner allegedly wrote six checks to two convenience stores in Sioux Center, totaling $1067.60 in November and December of 2016. Two of them bounced due to non-sufficient funds, and four were returned unpaid because the routing number was wrong, according to the police department.
According to court records, Gardner filed a written plea of “not guilty” via her attorney on September 20th. But on Wednesday, October 11th, her attorney filed with the court a petition to plead guilty to third-degree theft instead of second-degree. Second-degree theft is a felony, while third-degree theft is an aggravated misdemeanor, carrying a lesser penalty.
