An initial court hearing in a theft case allegedly involving Laura Mann and Kevin Bridgman has been postponed as Marshall County Superior Court No. 1 Judge Robert O. Bowen recused himself from presiding over their cases. The original hearing dates were set for Tuesday, May 1 at 8:30 a.m.
Mann is charged with two counts of theft as a Level 6 felony while Bridgman is charged with seven counts of theft as a Level 6 felony.
According to the charging information, Mann is accused of taking a direct payment out of Jeffrey Scott Bartlett’s bank account in the amount of $2,144 in the first charge and $604.31 in the second charge. Court documents state that Bridgman took money from Jeffrey Scott Bartlett from his bank account and charges to two separate credit cards in seven different transactions in the total amount of $15,440.49.
The incidents reportedly occurred in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The charges were filed on April 6, 2018.
In an interview with The Pilot News, Laura Mann stated that Kevin Bridgman was given power of attorney with the help of Rocky Mountain Wills and Trusts in Boulder, CO firm when Jeffrey Scott Bartlett was sentenced to prison in October of 2014. The pair was reportedly friends at the time. She further stated in the The Pilot News report that Bartlett had given her permission to use the money on the two occasions in question. In the article, she said it was a verbal agreement and when the friendship had a falling out Bartlett said there wasn’t permission to use the money.
When a special judge is appointed in the case, the hearing will be rescheduled. As part of the judge’s order, if the parties do not agree upon a special judge within seven days the clerk of the court will appoint a special judge.
