PORT ANGELES — The trial of a chiropractor accused of defrauding Washington state from his former office in Sequim, which had been scheduled to begin this week, has been postponed until January.
The trial for Marc A. Ferrin, originally set to begin Monday, was rescheduled in Clallam County Superior Court because his attorney, Aaron Owada of Seattle, had emergency surgery, court documents said.
The trial will begin Jan. 10.
Ferrin is accused of defrauding the state Department of Labor & Industries of $11,538.52 between 2006 and 2008.
He now practices in Jefferson City, Mo.
Ferrin pleaded not guilty in December to one count of first-degree theft and nine counts of making false statements or concealing information.
The state Attorney General’s Office said billed L&I for appointments that never happened.
L&I’s own investigation concluded that Ferrin did this 176 times.
Ferrin’s trial had previously been scheduled for May, and later in June.
It was moved both times because of scheduling conflicts with his attorney.
Each count of fraud, a class C felony, carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
The theft charge, which Ferrin faces due to the large amount of allegedly fraudulent billings, carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.
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Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
