Sentencing in Glendive Babe Ruth embezzlement case hits third delay over restitution

GLENDIVE — “At this point, it’s just more opportunities for her to make more excuses, which is all that’s been happening throughout the entirety of this case.”

Dawson County District Attorney Brett Irigoin did not hold back his feelings about the sentencing hearing in the Babe Ruth Baseball League embezzlement case against Eva Crockett getting delayed a third time after another four hours on Wednesday — still over restitution.

Crockett was arrested in December 2024 and charged with embezzling more than $33,000 from the Babe Ruth Baseball League between 2021 and 2024.

After Crockett’s last sentencing date on April 2, her defense counsel, Joel Krautter, subpoenaed six witnesses to testify regarding restitution. The line of witnesses for the defense accompanied Irigoin’s recall of forensic accountant Christine MacInnes to testify to an updated, lower restitution amount.

Presiding Judge Michael Hayworth had to sequester some of the subpoenaed witnesses watching the hearing either in the courtroom or via Zoom from the hallway after Irigoin notified the court of the actions.

“If either party moves for sequestration of witnesses, it is ordered automatically,” Hayworth said.

MacInnes’ initial forensic review of evidence provided to her at the time suggested Crockett’s recommended restitution amount was $43,407.43. However, a couple of identified formula errors coupled with Crockett providing a stack of receipts from various vendors over a few days before Wednesday’s hearing led the prosecution to seek a new restitution amount — $38,259.76

Irigoin and Krautter spent almost two hours questioning MacInnes a second time in an attempt to clarify previously identified discrepancies.

Although the parties agree some errors exist in the first restitution recommendation, Krautter called Marc Courey, a certified forensic accountant, as an expert witness to discredit MacInnes’ forensic review in light of the discrepancies.

After poring over the representation of some evidence, Judge Hayworth ultimately ordered a third rescheduling of Crockett’s sentencing hearing in order to protect due process.

“I know this has dragged on for far too long, but the complexity, the uncertainty, even though restitution doesn’t have to be ironclad, it has to still be based on legitimate considerations,” Hayworth said. “I’m going to fulfill that obligation.”

The restitution amount Judge Hayworth noted he plans to start with is the new $38,259.76, adding that may decrease again after subtracting disputed transactions.

With the rescheduling, the judge is providing Crockett a final opportunity to present witnesses who can testify to the legitimacy of other transactions she is disputing, including a garbage disposal, leaf blower and more.

“Someone should be able to come forward and say, ‘Oh yeah, that was for the baseball season,’ and I haven’t received any of that testimony,” Hayworth said. “If there are facts to be known by the court, they need to be presented by witnesses.”

A new sentencing hearing date in the case against Crockett is still to be determined.