Painter Must Pay $212,000 to Washington

The owner of a Spokane, Wash., painting company will pay $212,000 in back premiums and penalties for false reporting and cash payment of wages to avoid workers’ compensation premiums.

Dale G. Koohns of Koohns Painting pleaded guilty in Spokane County District Court to two counts of third-degree theft.

Koohns will serve 30 days of electronic home monitoring. His settlement includes an immediate payment of $55,000 to the Department of Labor and Industries and monthly payments of $700, with the balance to be paid in full within five years.

In return for the guilty pleas, the Attorney General’s Office agreed to drop six felony counts for intentional false reporting. Each count was punishable by up to five years in prison.