The Virginian-Pilot
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CHESAPEAKE
Linda K. Shealey, office manager of a program that helps needy children obtain health services, wrote herself a check and forged the executive director's name in June 2007.
Three years, 138 forged checks and $90,396.80 later, a routine audit found her out, according to court records.
On Monday, the 53-year-old Greenbrier grandmother pleaded guilty to five counts each of forgery, passing forged checks and obtaining money by false pretenses from bank accounts of the Chesapeake Health Investment Program.
A plea agreement called for dropping prosecution of another 15 felony charges.
According to a statement of facts Shealey signed, she told her boss she did it because her grown daughter's boyfriend had lost his job. She also told police it was "out of desperation."
She admitted guilt in a handwritten statement dated October 2010 that was included in the court records, adding that she was the sole support for her 15-year-old son, her 22-year-old daughter and her daughter's two children.
"Though there is no excuse for this horrible crime, I was under extreme duress trying to maintain financial stability for my family," she wrote.
Officials for CHIP said in an e-mail statement that they immediately fired Shealey and that they were insured for the missing funds.
Circuit Chief Judge V. Thomas Forehand Jr. emphasized to Shealey that she would have to pay back the money, a condition of the plea agreement.
"Do you have any of it left?" Forehand asked.
"No," Shealey responded.
"All gone? All spent?" the judge pressed.
"Yes," Shealey said.
Forehand set sentencing for June 9. The convictions carry a maximum penalty of 200 years in prison; there was no agreement about punishment.
Matthew Bowers, (757) 222-5221, matthew.bowers@pilotonline.com
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