Woman gets two years for issuing bad checks

A woman was sentenced Tuesday to two years behind bars for issuing bad checks to purchase items from private businesses between July 2002 and May 2003.

Maryann D. Indalecio entered a guilty plea pursuant to a plea agreement for the five criminal cases in which she pleaded guilty to four counts of theft by deception and 13 counts of issuing bad checks.

She was ordered to spend 10 years in jail, all suspended except for two years.

“The defendant at each occasion issued a bad check that she knew would not be honored by her bank because she lacked the funds,” said Superior Court Associate Judge Ramona V. Manglona.

Among the items Indalecio purchased with the checks were rebars, bags of cement, hollow blocks, air conditioners, freezers, and a computer laptop.

“Having reviewed all these items, one would think that a fair and simple resolution to minimize the damage inflicted on each of these businesses is to return the goods,” Manglona said. “However, as explained by the defendant herself, she cannot do so because she pawned them for cash.”

Manglona indicated that Indalecio said she used the cash to pay off her creditors. She said the private attorney for the 41 judgment creditors of the defendant reported that Indalecio owed a total of $47,027.44 as of July 2004.

Further, Indalecio was ordered on April 12, 2004 to pay the balance at a rate of $50 bi-weekly. She, however, failed to comply with the court’s order.

Manglona said Indalecio shall be on supervised probation during the suspended sentence, under the direction and supervision of the Office of Adult Probation.

She was also ordered to write a letter of apology as well as pay restitution to the victims.

Indalecio must pay JD’s Appliance Store $486.55 and another $486 for the two checks issued to the business.

She is also expected to submit herself for an evaluation by the Community Guidance Center for counseling or treatment, must seek and maintain a full-time job, and perform 500 hours of community service at a minimum of 20 hours per month if she is not employed and a minimum of eight hours if employed.

Further, Indalecio was ordered to pay a total of $300 in fine, as well as court assessment fee and annual probation fee.

“Failure to comply with any of the above terms and conditions shall constitute a violation of the terms and conditions of the suspended sentence and shall subject the defendant to revocation proceedings,” the judge said.