Mixed verdict in Pichette trial

NEWPORT – It didn’t take jurors long to reach verdicts Tuesday, Dec. 3, in the case of Jason M. Pichette, who was tried for second-degree theft, second-degree malicious mischief and second-degree possession of stolen property, all felonies.

The five-women, seven-men jury deliberated less than an hour before finding Pichette not guilty of second-degree theft. Jurors couldn’t reach a verdict on second-degree malicious mischief, so deliberated on a lesser charge, third-degree malicious mischief, a gross misdemeanor. They found Pichette not guilty of that charge.

They also couldn’t reach a verdict on the second-degree possession of stolen property charge and deliberated on a lesser charge, third-degree possession of stolen property. The jury found him guilty of third-degree possession of stolen property, a gross misdemeanor. Sentencing is set for Thursday, Dec. 12, at 9 a.m., before Superior Court Judge Pat Monasmith, who presided over the case. Pend Oreille County Deputy Prosecutor Lori Preuss handled the prosecution and defense attorney Bret Billingsley handled the defense.

Pichette, 47, a former Ione Town Council member, was charged with stealing a trailer that he had borrowed in 2022. Pichette took the stand and testified that he didn’t steal the trailer, that he borrowed it with permission of the owner, Dave Smith of Ione. He used the trailer to transport a side-by-side to Post Falls, where he hoped to sell the side-by-side. The sale fell through. He testified that since he was going to Ohio to see his new grandchild, he left the trailer at his daughter’s home in Coeur d’Alene. She was to return it to Ione.

There was a discrepancy between what the trailer’s owner testified to and what the Sheriff’s deputy wrote on the recovery report. Smith testified that he thought Pichette was only going to have the trailer a few hours and didn’t know he was going to Post Falls with it. He said he unsuccessfully looked for the trailer for a week before he got word of where it was in Coeur d’Alene.

According to what a Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s deputy wrote in a recovery report, the trailer was reported stolen Oct. 3, 2022, and recovered Oct. 4, 2022.

The malicious mischief charge was about a reader board sign that was moved from its location in Ione and damaged. Pichette testified that the reader board was given to him in 2019 by Kathy Mondich, who used it to advertise community events. Pichette said he moved it because it belonged to him. But according to testimony by realtor Pollianna Dickinson-Jones and Mondich, the sign was given to Dickenson- Jones, who used it to advertise her realty business. The sign was later recovered in Metaline Falls.

The third-degree possession of stolen property conviction was about possessing the reader board. The difference between second- and third-degree possession of stolen property charge is the value of the property.

For second degree, the property must be worth $750-$5,000. For third degree possession of stolen property, the property must be valued at less than $750.

The third-degree possession of stolen property is a gross misdemeanor while second degree possession of stolen property is a class c felony.

Monasmith revoked Pichette’s $20,000 bail pending sentencing.

Pichette is also being held on two other theft charges, with a $10,000 bond on each of those charges, according to Preuss.