PONDERAY — A former Walmart worker is facing a pair of grand theft charges for repeatedly stealing merchandise while on the job.

Katherine L. Draut made an initial appearance in Bonner County Magistrate Court on Friday via videoconferencing with the jail. Judge Daniel McGee appointed a public defender to represent her and released her on her own recognizance, court records show.

Although the value of the merchandise was below the statutory threshold for felony charges, the frequency of the thefts elevated the offenses to the felony level, according to a criminal complaint.

Draut, a 19-year-old Sandpoint resident, stole merchandise from Sept. 9-11 and from Sept. 16-18. The known value of the merchandise was $302, which is well below the $1,000 statutory threshold elevating a theft charge from a misdemeanor to a felony. However, since the property had an aggregate value over $50 and was stolen in three or more incidents, it qualified as “criminal episode” under Idaho Code, which lifted the offense to the felony level, court records indicate.

Draut admitted committing the thefts in a written state, according to a Ponderay Police affidavit.

A preliminary hearing in magistrate court is set for Wednesday, Oct. 17.

Keith Kinnaird can be reached by email at kkinnaird@bonnercountydailybee.com and follow him on Twitter @KeithDailyBee.