Julieann McMeechan of Gamaliel, who worked as a caregiver at a local nursing home and was charged with taking credit cards from residents of the home and using the cards to make purchases, pled guilty to forgery and theft charges and was given six years probation during a session of Baxter County Circuit Court Thursday.
When first questioned in late April, McMeechan said she had been given the cards by two residents of the nursing home to make purchases for them, but both victims denied giving their cards to her or authorizing her to use them.
The plea agreement called for the 38-year-old McMeechan to be sentenced under provisions of Act 346, meaning if she stays out of trouble during her probation period, she can apply to the court to have her record sealed. At first, Circuit Judge John Putman balked at allowing the 346 plea because of the nature of McMeechan’s crime.
Later in the session when told that McMeechan would pay restitution to the victims quickly, he allowed the 346 plea to be taken.
WebReadyTM Powered by WireReady® NSI