From the Olympian:

OLYMPIA — Prosecutors won’t file criminal charges against Procession of the Species founder Eli Sterling over his acceptance of public reimbursement for services he never paid for, they decided Thursday.

Olympia police began investigating Sterling in February 2005, after city officials discovered he’d asked for reimbursement of $14,000 for Web site services that had been donated to Earthbound Productions, the nonprofit agency that runs the annual Procession. The popular event is paid for with grants, donations and money from the city’s lodging tax fund.

A prosecutor has been reviewing the case for months, determining whether the evidence shows that Sterling intended to defraud the city. The evidence does not meet the standard for proving criminal intent beyond a reasonable doubt, Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Joseph Wheeler said in a letter explaining his decision.