Seattle bookkeeper gets three years for fraud

A bookkeeper who had stolen more than $262,000 from her small-business clients has been sentenced to three years and five months in prison and three years of supervised release for mail fraud, the U.S. attorney's office says.

Donna M. Davis, 41, of Woodinville also was ordered to pay more than $422,000 in restitution. At sentencing Friday, U.S. District Judge Thomas S. Zilly noted that Davis has a history of similar crimes.

Court records said Davis and her husband, Paul Davis, formed DP Associates in Mill Creek in 1996. The firm marketed its bookkeeping services to small businesses, especially busy medical professionals. Starting in 1998, Davis deposited checks made out to clients in her own bank account, prosecutors said.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Kathryn Warma argued for a sentence at the top end of the guidelines because Davis had been convicted of similar crimes previously in Washington state and Arizona.

In both cases, a judge had told her not to take any other jobs where she handled money or negotiated securities.

Two found dead in pickup in garage

A 28-year-old mother of three and a male friend, 32, were found dead in the garage at her home Saturday, apparently asphyxiated as they sat in a 1967 pickup.

The bodies were found about 10:15 a.m. by the woman's 8-year-old daughter. The victims' names had not been released Saturday evening pending notification of family members.

"We didn't see anything unusual for us to think anything other than accidental. We have to speculate and fill in some gaps until we get the autopsies done," said Spokane Valley Police Chief Cal Walker.

Seattle

Ballard library wins design award

The Seattle Public Library's Ballard Branch has won a major award from the American Institute of Architects for its innovative design.

Designed by Seattle architects Bohlin Cywinski Jackson to be environmentally friendly, the building won one of only 11 AIA Honor Awards from 400 entries for 2006.

Among its features are a "green roof" planted with 18,000 plants that use little water, plus rooftop solar panels, architect-designed furniture that slides together and art made of devices that measure the wind, rain and sun.

The Honor Award will be presented in June. Last year, the Central Library won the same award. The Ballard Branch, at 5614 22nd Ave. N.W., opened last May.

Also honored last week was Alexandra Harris, former capital-program director for the Seattle Public Library, for her role in implementing the "Libraries for All" building program. The Seattle Design Commission commended Harris, who retired in October, for developing design goals and creating alternative approaches to siting and design for multipurpose use of buildings.

Times staff and wire services