FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) A Farmington woman faces six months in jail and then years of probation for taking money from local businesses by pretending to operate a charity that was actually a fake. The Daily Times reports that District Judge John Dean refused to release 36-year-old Shawna by suspending her sentence.
Dean said he was disturbed that people may reconsider making charitable donations because Tobin violated the public trust by soliciting contributions for a fake charity to benefit local children. Tobin pleaded guilty last month to four counts of felony fraud in exchange for dismissal of 11 misdemeanor fraud counts. Police said she defrauded more than 15 businesses of more than $11,000 between August 2011 and October 2012 and kept the money for herself.
She was sentenced Thursday.
