CUSICK, Wash. – A federal grand jury has indicted a former Cusick town council member for identity theft, bank fraud and wire fraud.
Luke Michael Servas was employed by Cusick as the town clerk and later as a town council member.
Servas abstained from voting on financial members as a member of the council for a brief period during the fall of 2022 due to serving as both an elected official and employee of the town. The town clerk position was later assumed by current clerk Lisa Davis while Servas remained on the council.
The former town clerk and council member is accused of embezzling over $190,000 in public funds to himself, as well as writing himself a fraudulent $5,000 check. His total alleged theft amount is over $200,000.
Law enforcement initially expressed concern regarding his handling of town finances in March 2023, when the Pend Oreille County Sheriff’s Office was told by Servas that over $150,000 had been stolen from the town’s operating account. An investigation yielded no evidence that an outside actor had stolen the funds.
Servas faces 76 counts related to his alleged conduct in federal court.
