FILE - A Eugene Weekly box in downtown Eugene sits empty on Dec. 28, 2023.
Nathan Wilk/KLCC
Eugene Weekly’s former business manager pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges that she stole tens of thousands of dollars from the paper.
Under a new plea agreement, Elisha Young would serve three years in prison and two years of supervised release.
Young was arrested last May, after the Weekly accused her of embezzling the paper and leaving it in debt. The paper said at least $100,000 was stolen.
The Weekly paused printing for several issues in late 2023 and early 2024, citing this financial turmoil. But it later recovered following community donations.
Young originally pleaded not guilty to two counts of theft and three counts of aggravated theft against the paper. But on Tuesday, she admitted to all five charges in Lane County Circuit Court.
Eugene Weekly editor Camilla Mortensen sat just feet away from Young during the hearing.
Outside the courthouse, she told KLCC she used to think she knew her coworker, but she now believes she never really did.
“I had coffee with her. We went to put the paper to press, we socialized, and the whole time she was taking money from the paper,” said Mortensen. “To sit there in the same room as her, you just sort of wonder who that person is.”
Mortensen said she’s happy not to have to go through a difficult and emotional jury trial.
“As a journalist, I really have a lot of sympathy more than ever before for people who have to sit through jury trials and truly heinous crimes,” said Mortensen. “This property crime, that’s also a personal crime, has been just incredibly stressful for me, for the staff, and for the readers who almost lost their paper.”
Young declined a request for an interview. In the courtroom, a companion appeared to wipe a tear from the defendant’s face.
Mortensen said the Weekly still wants restitution. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for May 27.
Nathan Wilk is a reporter with KLCC.
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