🔵 By Katie Reichert. Photo by lauragrafie.
I have been wrongfully convicted. I have now been in prison since 10/27/2021. I’m a veteran, a single mother of a 3yr old little boy and I’m a graduate with a bachelors from Oregon State University. I was working for a veterinarian which I’d been at for 2 years, prior I was a vet tech for over 22 years. I was a 9/T (animal care specialist) for the US Army. I served 2 tours during Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom. I received 4 ribbons and was honorably discharged. I served just over 4 years.
This veterinarian started loosing employees as well as other veterinarians that worked for him. He owned 3 clinics. He started botching surgeries, misusing medications, bouncing our paychecks and cramping too many appointments into one day. Animals, employees and clients suffered. So much so that some animals died, clients paid for services that weren’t even performed, and all 3 businesses were failing. Dr. Kenneth Genova (my boss and clinic owner at the time) would pay off the owners so they wouldn’t sue, or tell the veterinary board, or post a negative review online. When vendors would call, saying his card in file didn’t clear, he’d reach into his front pocket where he kept 12 to 15 cards and grab one and say: „Try this one“. If none of them worked, if he didn’t pay, we wouldn’t get supplies or client orders the next morning.
Then with other veterinarians leaving, Genova had to work between all 3 clinics. He’d be at our clinic 1,5 days then leave to go to his other clinics. So owners/clients thought their animal that they dropped off in the morning for surgery, was under veterinarian supervision. There’s supposed to be a veterinarian there the whole day until the animal goes home, in case that animal were to have any complications with surgery or anesthetic affects. Many times especially with larger dogs, the animal would hemorrhage (bleed out) and we’d have to immediately transfer them to the emergency vet hospital.
When Dr. Genova would be gone and we’d need printer paper, or receipt paper, pens, highlighters, paper towels, cleaning supplies ect. I’d run to the store, use my own money, bring the receipt back and reimburse myself with cash from the cash drawer (were we always kept $200.00) for change. I always stapled those receipts to the end-of-day report and hand-wrote out any money going out, and a description. It as well had another employee initial, showing that they witnessed that I took out the amount on the receipts. Then as COVID progressed, as well as the fires that the State of Oregon endured, I started covering vendor costs when they would call and I used the credit card machine to reimburse myself. I had used it previously in June, 2020 when I sold one of my dogs puppies. Dr. Genova delivered them and had me keep them at the clinic so we could take care of them and still work. The buyer met me at the clinic but didn’t bring cash.
So my supervisor, Marissa at the time, said I could use the credit card machine. I charged the ladies card, then returned that same amount to my card, so it wouldn’t disrupt the revenue of the clinic. Now with covering the supply and vendor costs, Marissa was now gone, I asked Dr. Genova if I could use the credit card machine to reimburse myself. He approved that, then I used the credit card machine to reimburse the cash I brought in from cashing my paychecks. Because he kept bouncing my paycheck, I froze my bank account to try and save it. Genova would not cover the bounced check fees or the overdraft fees or even the late payment fees. This meant I had to take my paper check to the bank, cash it, then take that cash to WalMart to load a pre-paid card. I tried leaving work to cash my check, because the banks closed at 4:00 pm, but we were so short staffed, Genova would get mad and literally take it out on the few employees that were left (3 of them) as well as the clients and animal patients. To avoid this I tried going after work closed, to cash my check at WalMart or FredMeyer, but both couldn’t cash Genova’s checks. They would only cash at his bank; Bank of America. When I started with the company, I was working Tuesday through Fridays and every other Saturday, 40 t0 45 hours per week.
By September 2020 I was working 7 days a week, 170 to 180 hours per week. Since I was already using the credit card machine to reimburse myself, I started just taking the 10 minutes to cash my check at the bank and brought that cash back to the clinic. Then I added that cash with the deposit at night in a separate envelope. Again having another employee witness. All 3 employees witnessed all transactions. 2 of them walked off the job when I got put on leave, they were just as upset as I was. I went above and beyond for Dr. Genova.
He put me on leave initially while he „investigated“. The credit card company was doing their due diligence and contacted the pet clinic through email, asking what all the returns were without off setting charges. Instead of Genova sitting down and talking with me so I could go through everything and over each receipt , invoice and return, he brought in Debbie to be his „investigator“ from his Wilsonville clinic and she’s always been biased towards me. She just added up all the returns, didn’t talk to me once and said I stole that amount. She did a general search on the computer for a card ending on 8891 (my card #). Even returns that didn’t have my name, they were either blank in the customer area, had a different expiration date or they said „valued customer“. She never verified the whole 16 numbers. VISA was even subpoenaed and wrote a statement saying those returns did not belong to any card registered to me. She even counted the return with my dogs puppy in June. The entire total was over $ 27.000. from June 2020 to January 2021. All the receipts I provided as well as my returned cash from my paychecks added up to over $ 28.500. So Genova even still owed me money. Debbie filed a police report and said I stole over $ 27.000 from them. I had a jury trial, I plead not guilty.
With missing evidence, the DA told them all deposit history was supplied. When only the clinics deposit history was supplied, not Bank of Americas. The 2 employees that were witnesses and testified to everything I just explained were there to testify on my behalf. The DA made me look like a horrible person. I was denied probation, I was denied downward departure and I was denied veteran’s court.
I’m currently appealing my conviction, but that can take years to go through. I’m missing my son terribly. Growing up I rode horses, I got into barrel racing at rodeos and still race and will continue when I get out. I’m 39 years old, blond hair, hazel eyes, 5’8″, 180 lbs. I grew up a country girl, worked on a grass seed farm driving tractors and various farm equipment. I graduated high school with honors, 3rd in my class. I attended Oregon State University where I received a bachelors of Science.
After 9/11 terrorist attacks, I joined the United States Army active duty, then honorably discharged in 2007. I’ve been a veterinary technician for over 22 years and hope to continue my career when I’m out. I am also taking paralegal courses while incarcerated and hoping to get on fire-crew. As a back-up I’ve always wanted to be a firefighter.
I like to camp, fish and ride four-wheelers. I also like to draw and work on leather. I’m very loyal and believe in family wholeheartedly. Most of my family is not blood, they are friends that I’ve had for years. I’m praying for a good outcome, a fast appeal and to get home to my son. I would love a pen pal to help me through this difficult time.