A Grand Rapids woman authorities say stole thousands of dollars from at-risk adults and used it to gamble will spend a year in jail -- twice the prosecutor's recommended sentence.
Myrna M. Trickey, 70, was sentenced Tuesday to 12 months in jail with work release and five years probation and ordered to pay $47,741.36 in restitution plus other costs and supervision fees for three counts of felony theft.
Clark County Circuit Court Judge Jon Counsell, acting as a substitute judge in the Wood County case, also ordered Trickey to write apologies to her victims, undergo counseling and prepare a detailed financial disclosure statement for the past 42 months.
A joint recommendation from Trickey's attorney, Amy Boettcher, and the Wood County district attorney's office suggested a sentence of six months in jail in addition to the probation.
"It's only by the skin of your teeth that you're not ending up in prison today," Counsell told Trickey during the sentencing. "If you don't follow through and do what you're supposed to do, I fully expect your probation to be revoked, and I will send you to prison for a long time."
According to Wood County Circuit Court documents:
Trickey, who operated a business called Protective Care in Grand Rapids, was the court-appointed guardian for adults described as at-risk -- defined by state law as having a condition that substantially impairs them. Her responsibilities included managing their money and handling their financial affairs.
During a period of more than four years, she wrote 126 checks on the accounts of three adults in her care, totaling $22,500 and used the money for herself. The checks exceeded the amount Trickey was allowed to take from the accounts for guardian fees.
On June 26, the court ruled against Trickey in a civil case, granting a judgment of $14,752 plus other costs, to one of her victims. A $536.70 judgment was issued July 6 for those costs. She pleaded guilty to all three criminal counts June 27, and 17 uncharged misdemeanor counts of theft were read into the record.
Full Article and Source:
Former Caretaker Sentenced for Thefts
See also:
Protective Care
4 comments:
Myrna M. Trickey got off with a light sentence.
Although Judge Jon Counsell's words seem to be stern and sincere that if she fails to repay the money (I hope with a schedule of repayment),it's bye bye freedom and hello prison.
126 checks written is 126 times Trickey knew she was doing wrong, 126 times she was stealing money but decided to feed her greed, 126 times that we know about.
I am pleased to see Trickey ordered to pay restitution plus costs. That's almost unheard of.
And I guess I don't mind the work release because she has to make the $47K in order to pay it back!
Well said, Anon. 1.
126 times she chose to do wrong.
I just love it when they are held accountable in any way.
Myrna M. Trickey is a predator and she will now always carry that label.
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