A Centralia woman arrested Friday and accused of stealing $1.4 million from her former employer over the course of a decade has been charged with 25 counts of first-degree theft but is out of Lewis County Jail custody after posting $100,000 bond.
Anne Marie Baker, 57, appeared in person for her preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court Monday evening. Prosecuting Attorney Brandi Archer did not ask for any additional bail for Baker but requested she not have any contact with alleged victims or their place of employment. Judge Paul Strophy granted that request, citing Baker’s lack of criminal history and her posting bond.
According to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office in a Friday news release, Baker was referred to the prosecutor’s office for 221 counts of forgery, 174 counts of first-degree theft and 64 counts of second-degree theft. However, Defense Attorney Rachael Tiller said during Monday’s preliminary hearing that Baker would be charged with 25 counts, including 23 Class B felonies and two Class C felonies.
The affidavit of probable cause, which details the nature of the case from the prosecutor’s perspective, was not immediately available as of Monday afternoon, but records indicate that each of the 25 counts were Class B felonies of first-degree theft exceeding $5,000 ranging in dates from August 2019 to January 2025.
The arrest followed a nearly month-long investigation into the alleged embezzlement from Schwiesow Construction Inc. in Centralia, according to the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office.
“The LCSO developed probable cause to believe Ms. Baker misappropriated funds from her former employer over the course of nearly a decade totaling more than $1.4 million,” the sheriff’s office stated in the Friday release. “Ms. Baker was located at a hotel in Westport, Washington, and taken into custody with the assistance of the Westport Police Department, after investigating Deputy Mike Mohr received information she would be vacationing there with family. She was transported from Montesano back to Lewis County.”
Baker, formerly Garrett, will next appear in court on Thursday, Aug. 14 for arraignment.
This article will be updated when court documents are made available.
