AUGUSTA — A Winthrop woman who embezzled $30,000 from the Winthrop United Methodist Church while she was its treasurer and office manager was sentenced Thursday on a related charge of welfare fraud.
Tricia L. Day, 35, who pleaded guilty to theft charges in January, failed to declare the funds when she applied for public assistance from the state, said Assistant Attorney General Darcy Mitchell.
Judge Tom Nale imposed a two-year, all-suspended sentence for the welfare fraud recommended by both Mitchell and Day’s attorney Kaela Jalbert.
Mitchell said she recommend a fully-suspended sentence partly because Day has already served time for the theft conviction.
In that case, Day was sentenced to serve 11 months of a five-year suspended prison sentence and two years’ probation.
A judge also ordered Day to pay $3,000 in restitution.
On Thursday, Nale also imposed the $9,155.67 restitution Mitchell sought for the benefit of DHHS.
Jalbert asked that Day be permitted to pay it at a rate of $20 a month.
At that rate, it would take more than 38 years for her to pay the money back. Day told the judge she has no source of income.
“I do intend to start working as soon as I can so I can pay that and some to get this cleared up as soon as possible,” Day told the judge.
In the meantime, she said, family members would help her to ensure the monthly fee was paid.
Betty Adams can be contacted at 621-5631 or at:
badams@centralmaine.com
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