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LISBON --Although she continued to say she believed the stolen money was actually a gift, Shelly R. Wylie was sentenced to a year in prison on Friday in Columbiana County Common Pleas Court.
Wylie, 37, Y-Camp Road, Lisbon, said the victim in the case, Charles Dugan, gave her the money and she accepted it as a gift. She put the money into her own account and used it. Wylie reportedly took more than $30,000 from Dugan starting on Dec. 1, 2013 and continuing through May 31, 2015.
At the time, Dugan was 84 years old, suffering from dementia and was living in a nursing home where Wylie was employed.
"Charley was like a grandfather to me," Wylie said. "I'm truly sorry. I never meant for this to happen."
Judge C. Ashley Pike questioned why Wylie pleaded guilty to the theft charge in March if she still believed the money was given to her.
"I knew it was my word against his," Wylie said. "But everything I took he handed me."
Prior to sentencing, three friends spoke on Wylie's behalf talking about how much they would trust Wylie and how much they felt she was remorseful. One friend, Rita Bridgestock. talked about the Bible story when Jesus stopped a woman from being stoned.
"All I'm asking for her is a second chance," Bridgestock said.
However, Pike pointed out Wylie took advantage of someone he would consider among the most vulnerable people and he felt prison time was necessary.
In another court case Friday, a Lisbon area woman who appeared for her court hearing about an hour late was sentenced to a year incarceration by Pike.
Courtney P. Wilson, 26, state Route 154, Lisbon, had previously pleaded guilty to illegal assembly or possession of chemicals for the manufacture of drugs and possession of drugs. Her previous sentencing hearing had been rescheduled when she had notified her attorney she had overslept.
According to Assistant County Prosecutor Megan Bickerton, Wilson reportedly has been cooperative in other cases involving co-defendants, however, she was concerned about monitoring Wilson more closely. Wilson's defense attorney, Kelly Linger noted Wilson had entered a substance abuse treatment program in the fall herself.
However, when asked by Pike if she could pass a drug test on Friday, Wilson admitted she could not. Pike followed the question up by sentencing her to a year in prison with credit for 12 days already served.