By MAIRE O’NEILLAn embezzlement charge in Los Alamos Magistrate Court against Amy Woods of Los Alamos has been dismissed by Fifth Judicial District Attorney Kent Wahlquist.
The dismissal, filed Friday, states that Woods has been accepted into the Pre-Prosecution Division Program (PPDP) and notes that the state may refile the charge if she fails to successfully complete the program. The case was on the docket for a status hearing and Woods did not appear in person.
Woods was charged with embezzlement of $3,500 from the Los Alamos Council on Cancer. She was president of the Council when the theft occurred. Court documents reflect that seven ATM withdrawals of $500 were made daily Dec. 15 through Dec. 21 from Los Alamos National Bank while Woods was still president of the Council and the primary and only user of the debit card.
The PPDP is designed to help first time offenders preserve their futures by keeping their records clean. Participants admit their guilt to the charge and can be required to pay restitution to the victim, receive counseling and perform community service.
At the time of Woods’ arrest, the Council issued a statement saying they were shocked and saddened by the discovery of the withdrawals from the organization’s checking account and that steps had been taken to recover the stolen funds and implement stricter safeguards to prevent future similar occurrences.
Council members are all volunteers whose goal is to increase public awareness of cancer, promote early diagnosis, and provide support for patients undergoing cancer treatment. Council members do not receive any compensation and their work relies heavily on public support.
