The fact that criminal charges are filed does not necessarily mean the accused person is guilty. Sometimes a misunderstanding leads to the need for a criminal defense, but that doesn’t stop people — sometimes even family and friends — from siding with police.
A Wales woman who was recently accused of theft may have found herself in a similar situation, as she is currently facing serious criminal charges in connection with an incident occurring at a Waukesha nursing home.
A theft was reported at the nursing home where the woman was employed. Waukesha police went to the home after an elderly woman living there claimed three checks were missing from her checkbook. A social worker reported to officers that an employee of the nursing home was suspected of stealing the missing checks.
According to the criminal complaint, the officers discovered that all three checks were written out to the suspect and later cashed. Unbeknownst to her, the officers were at the nursing home when she arrived. Police who searched her car claim to have also found drug paraphernalia.
The woman was charged with one count of possession of drug paraphernalia and three counts of identity theft from an elderly person for financial gain. Should she be convicted of these crimes, she could be fined $30,500 and serve up to 18 years in prison.
Prosecutors may feel they have the upper hand in a case like this; however, individuals accused of serious crimes should always research their options. For example, a police search of a person’s property must adhere to specific guidelines. If an illegal search was performed, any evidence officers found during that search will not hold up in a court of law.
Source: Waukesha Patch, “Former Nursing Home Employee Charged With Theft,” Joe Petrie, July 6, 2012
