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LISBON -- The jury trial for Amanda M. Kiger and River Valley Organizing for allegedly stealing charitable donations for personal use is now rescheduled for 8:30 a.m. Feb. 16.
Kiger, 53, Center Street, East Liverpool, appeared via telephone for a status hearing Thursday in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court after her vehicle broke down while she was en route to the courthouse.
Judge Scott Washam spoke with her via speaker phone to confirm she agreed to having her jury trial that had been scheduled for Oct. 13 continued at the request of her defense attorney, T. Robert Bricker.
"I agree with that," she said.
A status hearing is set for 1 p.m. Nov. 5.
Given that the discovery information from the prosecution is quite lengthy. Bricker told the court prior to the hearing on the record that he didn't think the defense would be ready by the trial date next month and said he would need to ask for a continuance. He also said there have been some casual negotiations.
The state was represented by Associate Assistant Attorney General H. Lee Crumrine, who works for the Ohio Attorney General's office.
Washam asked Bricker to get his client on the phone and then Washam asked her to confirm her birthdate and social security number to ensure he was talking to her.
At the end of the hearing, Bricker was asked to have her sign a waiver of time to submit to the court.
Kiger remains out of jail on a $100,000 recognizance bond.
She was indicted for multiple charges related to theft as executive director of the former nonprofit group known as River Valley Organizing and related to her alleged theft of unemployment benefits and alleged failure to file state income tax returns during the same period.
The charges against Kiger include third-degree felony aggravated theft, second-degree felony telecommunications fraud, four counts of fifth-degree felony filing incomplete, false and fraudulent returns, fourth-degree felonies of grand theft and falsification in a theft offense and third-degree felony telecommunications fraud.
The indictment against River Valley Organizing, in care of Kiger, included one count of aggravated theft, a third-degree felony, and one count of telecommunications fraud, a second-degree felony.
According to the indictments, the thefts occurred from Feb. 1, 2021 through Dec. 31, 2024, when Kiger solicited and accepted contributions of funds from various donors to River Valley Organizing for charitable purposes and "misused such funds for personal purposes and her own financial benefit." The amount was listed from $150,000 to less than $750,000.
The charge for telecommunications fraud said she misused the funds for personal purposes and her own financial benefit "through a series of financial transactions and transfers completed via telecommunications networks." The value of the benefit obtained was listed as $150,000 or more but less than $1 million.
Regarding the other charges against Kiger, she allegedly obtained $17,346 in unemployment benefits from the state by making false statements to the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services in her application and claims for unemployment benefits from April 2, 2021 through May 12, 2022. She allegedly failed to file annual state income tax returns in 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.