New details revealed on past of arrested founder of DAWNS House, including violation of protective stalking order
(Update: Adding video)
BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) – Public court records show just last year, DAWNS House founder Dawn Holland, arrested this week on aggravated theft charges, was charged with violating two stalking protective orders. One was dropped but the other involved the former executive manager of the nonprofit.
Holland was sentenced to three days in and jail and ordered to undergo alcohol rehabilitation services, which she completed just recently, according to court documents.
A tipster, whom the organization helped, said in an email to NewsChannel 21 last year that Holland had used some of the embezzled money to gamble on an auction website called Deal Dash and to pay for a trip to the Bahamas.
NewsChannel 21 has not been able to confirm those accusations.
The Oregon Health Authority did tell us they provided the organization with $288,000 in 2022 as part of the Access to Care Grants.
In 2019, she was named Bend Chamber's Woman of the Year, but according to prosecutors, that same year, Holland began stealing money from the nonprofit.
The Bend nonprofit helps women recover from addiction and sobriety issues. Holland was arrested Thursday morning at Bend Police headquarters on an outstanding warrant for 10 counts of first-degree theft, Class B felonies, accused of stealing over $300,000 from the organization.
Holland was released from jail Thursday after posting 10% of her $50,000 bail, pending a May 30 arraignment on the indictment.
Deschutes County Circuit Judge Bethany Flint had signed a $50,000 bench warrant earlier this week for Holland, who turns 52 on Saturday and was indicted Monday on charges of stealing more than $300,000 from the nonprofit between 2019 and last year through improper use of the organization's credit card.
Asked if Holland had come to police to surrender on the charges, Detective Tommy Russell told us Thursday, "Holland called a detective to inquire about getting some property back," including her phone.
"The detective asked her to meet us at the police department," he said. "She then called the detective back and asked about her arrest warrant, and he told her he would discuss that with her when she got to the police department. Holland arrived at the police department, at which time she was taken into custody on the warrant."
Russell also provided new details about the course of the investigation, saying the vice president of DAWNS House contacted Bend Police last July 20 “to report theft of funds from the nonprofit.”
The resulting investigation included police consulting a financial investigator from the Oregon Department of Justices Charitable Activities Section. Based on the results of that investigation, authorities found probable cause to arrest the former executive direct on the multiple counts of first-degree aggravated theft.
The indictment alleged the crimes have “as a material element either fraud or the breach of a fiduciary obligation.” All 10 counts list a value of at least $10,000, the property of DAWNS House, while four list a value of at least $50,000.
DAWNS House (Directly Assisting Women Newly Sober) says it provides support to displaced women who are recovering from addiction and alcoholism through structured, guided, sober transitional housing. It says its Bend eight-bed home is one of only two public sober living facilities for women in Central Oregon.
In an interview with NewsChannel 21 a year ago, Holland talked about the organization that began in 2015 and now has two housing locations amid a growing need for its services, due to fentanyl and other drug addiction. She said they help women stabilize in transition and secure housing and employment.
Current Executive Director Virginia Schweizer told NewsChannel 21 on Wednesday that they have not yet prepared any statement on what has transpired, but stressed that they want people to know “we’re still in business.”
