Eastern Idaho Conservation District official sentenced for forgery

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden has announced the manager of the Franklin Soil and Water Conservation District was sentenced Thursday after a jury convicted her of two counts of forgery in July.

Sixth District Judge Mitchell Brown sentenced 53-year-old Lyla A. Dettmer to concurrent four-year sentences.

The court then suspended the sentences and placed Dettmer on three years probation.

She was also sentenced to 45 days in jail, which can be served as house arrest.

Finally, the judge ordered Dettmer to pay a $400 fine and court costs and reserved the right to impose restitution at a later date.

An investigation revealed that Dettmer – in her role as the conservation district’s manager – made a series of filings in order to receive matching funds from the Idaho Soil and Water Conservation Commission.

During that process, Dettmer forged signatures on supporting documents later submitted to the state commission.

The Office of the Attorney General investigated the case. Deputy Attorney General Jessica Kuehn of the OAG’s Special Prosecutions Unit prosecuted the case.