Sysco warehouse in wilsonville.jpg

The Sysco Corp. warehouse in Wilsonville, shown here in 2006.

(Brent Wojahn/The Oregonian/file photo)

Facing accusations that he stole about $1 million from a failed Portland-area Thai food chain as one of its top executives, Richard Lee Anderson took part in a scheme to steal at least $20,000 from his next employer, prosecutors say.

The 56-year-old pleaded not guilty in Multnomah County Circuit Court on Wednesday to two counts of aggravated theft stemming from his time as a sales manager at food distributor Sysco between May and October 2012.

Richard Lee Anderson

Anderson also faces 22 counts of theft for stealing from Typhoon when he was its chief operating officer between 2009 and 2011. The restaurant business closed in February 2012 amid a quagmire of legal and financial troubles.

Anderson is scheduled to go to trial for the alleged theft from the Thai food chain in June.

“We’re very concerned about the wake of victims that we’re finding behind Mr. Anderson,” Deputy District Attorney Kevin Demer said.

Both Anderson and his attorney declined to comment on the new charges. Anderson did tell The Oregonian, however, that there are “two sides to every story.”

During Wednesday’s proceedings, Demer asked Judge Eric Bloch to remand Anderson into custody, citing the trail of alleged victims.

Anderson’s attorney, Jeffrey Dickey, contended his client always showed up to court hearings and has strong community ties.

Bloch ordered Anderson to be booked and released on the new charges.

A Sysco spokesperson did not return a message left by The Oregonian.

After Anderson was arraigned on the Typhoon theft charges, Demer said prosecutors received an anonymous letter that prompted them to investigate Anderson’s employment at Sysco.

Detectives found evidence that Anderson was charging other companies for food and equipment that they did not order, such as a restaurant-grade waffle iron, according to Demer. Anderson would pick up those items, then sell them at his own profit or give them away to ingratiate himself to customers. Some business owners wrote checks directly to Anderson for the supplies, Demer said.

Some Sysco customers thought Anderson had applied his employee discount while others thought the giveaways were a normal course of business to win them over, Demer said. “Sysco does not give gifts like commercial-grade waffle irons to customers,” he said.

One former customer said that didn’t become clear until receiving a call from police. Dale Powlison, who ran Rachel’s Classic Burger with his family, said Anderson helped get the business up and running. The Hillsboro burger joint bought its ground beef through Sysco, and Powlison said Anderson often stopped by to check in.

Powlison said Anderson encouraged the business to host a grand opening and said he would donate some of the supplies.

“We just thought it was Sysco’s way of keeping us on their good side,” Powlison said.

Investigators were monitoring Anderson’s bank accounts when the alleged thefts occurred, but Demer said Anderson was able to cash the checks without processing them through his accounts.

One of those transactions took place Oct. 1, 2012, Demer said. Anderson was arraigned in the Typhoon theft case the next day.

Demer said he will push to try the two cases against Anderson together in June.

Meanwhile, Portland Police are continuing to investigate the Sysco case. Deputy District Attorney Kevin Demer said anyone who has made out a check directly to Anderson for food should contact Detective Brian Sitton at 503-823-0592.

--Molly Young