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Jury convicts car salesman Posted: Saturday, Jun 04, 2005 - 02:38:32 pm PDT By KEITH KINNAIRD News editor
SANDPOINT -- A Bonner County jury convicted a former used car salesman on Thursday of five counts of grand theft and single counts of racketeering and failing to deliver certificate of title. But the jury of six men and six women acquitted Arnold "Arne" Albert Dreier Sr. of another racketeering and theft count. The jury also deadlocked on one theft count and a count of preparing false evidence.The verdicts came after about eight hours of deliberation, capping a seven-day trial that included scores of witnesses and exhibits. Dreier, 65, faces as many 80 years in prison when he is sentenced. A sentencing hearing is pending in 1st District Court.
The two, according to trial testimony, took customers' money for warranty plans, but pumped the funds into the business instead of sending it to the warranty company. There were also allegations North 95 was selling vehicles without settling liens that were placed on them and neglecting to turn over certificates of title. The elder Dreier was also accused of stealing inventory from North 95 Sales and producing backdated documents to shield himself from responsibility. The jury, however, could not reach a verdict on the evidence tampering charge and a theft charge. Senior District Judge James Michaud asked jurors for a show of hands on Thursday to see if any of them believed additional deliberation might enable them to arrive at a verdict on those two charges. Michaud declared a mistrial on the counts after none of the jurors raised their hands. The younger Dreier accepted a plea deal which drastically shrank the case against him, but required him to testify as a state's witness. Cody Dreier, 32, told the jury on the second day of the trial that North 95 began to lose money in the post-9/11 economic climate. He was initially a partial owner in the company, but later learned he had supposedly become its sole owner as the business's outlook darkened and legal troubles emerged. But Cody Dreier said his father still played a significant role in the company until its demise in 2003. Deputy Prosecutor Louis Marshall accused Arne Dreier of filing bogus corporate documents to protect himself and shift liability to his son. "Arne Dreier needs to be held accountable for what he's done," Marshall said in his closing arguments. Arne Dreier's defense attorney, Mark Jones, said the evidence showed Cody Dreier willingly accepted complete ownership of the business. His client stepped in as the situation became increasingly grim in a bid to pull the business back from the brink of destruction. Moreover, there was no evidence Arne Dreier intended to commit theft, Jones said. Jones also refuted the allegation that his client ripped off vehicles from the doomed business. "There is no way Arne Dreier stole from North 95 Sales," he said, pointing out the Cody Dreier knew vehicles were being moved from the sales lot to Arne Dreier's home. But the jury saw things differently, convicting Dreier on the three counts of theft from North 95. Cody Dreier is still awaiting sentencing for his role in the scandal. North 95's former bookkeeper and title clerk, Linda Joy Bottcher, is scheduled to stand trial later this month for allegedly preparing false evidence. POST YOUR OPINION
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Bonner County Daily Bee
P.O. Box 159 / Sandpoint, Idaho 83864 / 208-263-9534
Bonner County Daily Bee Online is updated at 10am PST.