WOMAN GETS PRISON TERM FOR BILKING SENIOR.Byline: Don Holland Daily News Staff Writer A former Moorpark insurance agent who bilked an elderly relative out of most of her life savings was sentenced Friday to four years in state prison. Superior Court Judge Bruce Clark This article is about the American actor. For the British journalist and writer, see Bruce Clark (journalist). Bruce Allan Clark (born 5 March 1958, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.) is an actor who appeared in the 1970 TV series Here Come the Double Deckers. said Donna Suzanne Mitchell's violation of trust and the substantial sum involved - more than $186,000 - demanded a prison term, and not a lighter penalty as her attorney called for. ``What is the appropriate message to the community - and to those who might contemplate (similar crimes)?'' the judge pondered aloud. ``And the appropriate message is that she must be committed to the Department of Corrections.'' In February, the 33-year-old independent Farmers Insurance agent pleaded guilty to one count of financial elder abuse Elder Abuse Definition Elder abuse is a general term used to describe harmful acts toward an elderly adult, such as physical abuse, sexual abuse, emotional or psychological abuse, financial exploitation, and neglect, including self-neglect. and grand theft. Detectives say she forged letters and checks that over the course of four years allowed her to deplete de·plete v. 1. To use up something, such as a nutrient. 2. To empty something out, as the body of electrolytes. annuities held by her then-husband's grandmother, Gizella Chizma of Reseda. Mitchell was ordered to pay restitution to Farmers Insurance, which restored $214,596 to the annuity accounts. Farmers Insurance investigators discovered the fraud during an internal audit. ``I feel more hurt than if I dropped dead,'' said the 90-year-old Chizma, a Hungarian immigrant. ``I just feel so terrible, so hurt because she wasn't a stranger to me. I never thought she would do this. . . . She knew I was not a millionaire.'' Chizma, who has heart trouble, cut short her remarks to the judge after experiencing chest pains. She did not leave the courtroom and appeared to have recovered afterward af·ter·ward also af·ter·wards adv. At a later time; subsequently. Adv. 1. afterward - happening at a time subsequent to a reference time; "he apologized subsequently"; "he's going to the store but he'll be back here . The victim's son, Edward Chizma, said Mitchell's fraudulent withdrawals from the annuities triggered battles with the Internal Revenue Service, which he said is now making threats and allegations of false tax returns. ``I want this woman put behind bars Verb 1. put behind bars - lock up or confine, in or as in a jail; "The suspects were imprisoned without trial"; "the murderer was incarcerated for the rest of his life" gaol, immure, imprison, incarcerate, jail, jug, lag, remand, put away for the maximum time allowable,'' Edward Chizma said. ``I want peace for my family. . . . This scheme drained the life savings from an immigrant family from Hungary.'' Mitchell kept her head bowed throughout most of the sentencing, at times sobbing. ``I deeply regret the mistakes I have made. I have already paid dearly for my mistakes,'' Mitchell said without elaborating. Wearing a bright red tunic tu·nic n. A coat or layer enveloping an organ or a part; tunica. tunic a covering or coat. See also tunica. abdominal tunic see tunica flava abdominis. , she clasped her hand over her mouth and sobbed as a bailiff bailiff Officer of some U.S. courts whose duties include keeping order in the courtroom and guarding prisoners or jurors in deliberation. In medieval Europe, it was a title of some dignity and power, denoting a manorial superintendent or royal agent who collected fines and led her into a holding cell to begin her sentence. |
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