Virginia physician on verge of losing deferred adjudication in elderly exploitation case

Dr. Mary Margaret Bland

CLARKSBURG — A 49-year-old Virginia physician was found in violation of her deferred adjudication on Friday for failing to report consistently to Harrison Chief Probation Officer Charles “Chic” Scott.

But Harrison Circuit Judge Chris McCarthy said he wouldn’t rule on disposition until after learning whether Mary Margaret Bland pays the full restitution on or before Sept. 7, as she’s required to do via the agreement. Bland paid $10,000 in restitution at the start of her deferred adjudication, but will have to come up with the rest, $35,000, in that two-week period.

McCarthy said it was “offensive to the court” that Bland spent money on a vacation in Italy this summer before she had paid back the victim in full.

Bland had pleaded guilty to felony financial exploitation of an elder, a charge that would be dismissed if the doctor makes it successfully through the 3-year deferred adjudication.

But in addition to not having paid full restitution, Bland also still is on the hook for 288 hours of community service. She hasn’t provided proof that she’s performed any of it.

Harrison Assistant Prosecutor Brian Shockley successfully showed Bland had violated by failing to report once a month to Scott during several months over the past year.

McCarthy also appeared upset that Bland hadn’t informed Scott ahead of time about the trip to Italy, even though it wasn’t a violation of her probation agreement.

Bland, of Chesapeake, Virginia, removed a total of $35,000 from a nursing home resident’s bank account without her permission and after the defendant no longer was the victim’s power of attorney, State Police Tfc. Roger Glaspell previously alleged.

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Virginia physician on verge of losing deferred adjudication in elderly exploitation case