O.R.E. embezzlement case bound over to district court for March hearing

Defendant’s attorney can’t reach her

Proceedings against the former director of the Office for Resource Efficiency (ORE) being charged with a Class 6 felony for allegedly misappropriating $4,200 in bonuses/back pay from the non-profit organization last summer have hit a glitch. The defendant, Kristen Van Hoesen, apparently cannot be tracked down by her attorney.

According to a Gunnison County clerk of court, a status conference session on Tuesday, January 27 was scheduled to give the defendant’s attorney, Jackson Petito, a chance to speak with the district attorney and make sure the judge signed the protection order and fingerprint documents Van Hoesen was required to submit.
Petito told Judge Ben Eden that he spoke to the Oceanside Police Department in San Diego, where Van Hoesen recently relocated. The department told Petito that Van Hoesen had appeared with the documents. “But in between the last time we discussed the case and now I haven’t been able to get a hold of her,” he said.
“That’s somewhat ominous,” Judge Eden replied.
Eden bound the case over to district court and agreed to set Van Hoesen’s arraignment for March 4 at 1 p.m. Judge Eden told Petito that “because of the issue with the DNA and fingerprinting, and obviously if your client has not been in touch with you, she needs to appear in person so she can have her formal arraignment in district court.”