Anna Hayden was recently sentenced to probation after pleading guilty to the exploitation of a vulnerable person via theft of funds last year.
Hayden, a 22-year-old highschool graduate, admitted to using the credit card of a vulnerable person due to physical or mental disability for her own personal use around Christmas time in 2018.
The charge in which Hayden pleaded to gives the court flexibility to charge her with either a felony or gross misdemeanor, which also changes the potential sentence.
A gross misdemeanor charge has a potential penalty of up to 364 days in the county jail and up to $2,000 fine the potential penalty on the option of a category C felony conviction includes one to five years in prison and a maximum of $10,000 fine, with the ability for the court to order restitution be paid in either instance.
Alternate Public Defender Maureen McQuillan told the court that Hayden, her client, has never been in trouble before and was confronted immediately following the unlawful use of the credit card, which she remorsefully admitted to.
McQuillan asked the court to charge her client with a gross misdemeanor rather than a felony and that restitution had been arranged in the plea negotiations.
Hayden apologized for any harm done to the victims involved in her allocution statement to the court and said that she hasn’t ever been in trouble before or done drugs, and that she wants to be a good example for her daughter who she is to give birth to in March.
The court convicted Hayded of a gross misdemeanor charge and ordered her to pay a $3 DNA collection fee, $25 administrative assessment fee, $250 public defender fee and $534.86 in restitution. Hayden was sentenced to 364 days in jail with credit for six days time served; the jail sentence was suspended and Hayden was placed on probation for 18 months.
Hayden will be able to apply for early discharge from probation if fines and fees are paid, and the probation can be extended if fines and fees are not paid.
