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Woman Sentenced For Using Deceased Mother’s Credit Card, Checks
February 28, 2014
A Molino woman has been sentenced for using her deceased mother’s credit card and writing checks on her account.
On October 11, 2013, Rhonda Renee Fillingim, 42, was arrested for writing a $20 check on the account of her deceased mother Linda Albritton to Molino Park Elementary School during a fall carnival. During the busy carnival, the principal did not notice the check belonged to Albritton, not Fillingim. The check was later returned by the bank because it was written on a closed account.
For the Molino Park check, Fillingim was charged with felony passing a forged instrument. She was charged for allegedly signing her deceased mother’s name and issuing two checks totaling $47.34 to Hendrix Lawn and Cycle in Molino.
Fillingim was also charged with 64 felony counts of fraudulent use of a credit card and one count of felony grand theft for using her mother’s credit card.
Her brother, Orbin Albritton, reported to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office in August that Fillingim had used their deceased mother Linda Albritton’s Sears Mastercard to make no less than $6,500 worth of unauthorized purchases over a two week period that begin one day after their mother died on December 31, 2012. Credit card statements showed 64 transactions during the period totaling $8,960.32, according to an arrest report.
She pleaded no contest to one count of fraudulent use of a credit card, one count of grand theft, two counts of uttering a forged instrument and one count of petit theft. The dozens of remaining charges were dropped.
Fillingim was sentenced to 24 months probation and 240 hours of community service. The court, which withheld adjudication in the case, also withheld the right to determine what restitution might be owed in the case.
Comments
16 Responses to “Woman Sentenced For Using Deceased Mother’s Credit Card, Checks”
Dang! Gonna miss her! She could make a killer biscuit @ the cross road of 97 & 29!!! She was so sweet! Who would have thunk it?? Gonna miss my biscuits!!!
Robert v,
People bad-mouthing thieves is not punishment, it’s just people talking.
Even requiring thieves to return what they stole is not punishment, it is just returning what was taken to whom it belongs.
Even probation is not punishment, it is simply watching known thieves closely lest they steal or commit other crimes again soon.
Therefor, there has been no punishment, just the hope the predation on others will stop. Let us hope.
David for better people
and perfect judges
Perfect!? Perfect has nothing to do with deliberately stealing. 5 miles over the speed limit can be a mistake. She did not make a mistake. She knew what she was doing was wrong.
Judgement was already passed by the court. SHE IS GUILTY. The problem is a lack of real punishment. The guidelines are light BECAUSE of people who excuse lawless behavior. Even a few months in jail might make a difference for others who see this light punishment and decide “not doing that”.
I know it was just a mistake with “crude” instead of cruel punishment but that that is the problem many actually believe that ANY jail time is cruel punishment. You need to look at what real cruel punishment is.
Where does the wood carving come in and who cares. That’s not the point but nice try at diverting the point. SHE STOLE FROM STORES BY USING SOMEONE ELSE S CREDIT CARD! Doesn’t matter that it was her mom’s. It’s not like mom asked her to pickup something for her. She had died so anyone with any respect for law would not use the cards.
The sad part is people who excuse lawlessness have so much influence in the punishments dealt out. Its why we have so many that don’t respect it or others property. From what is being said by some they should not get upset if someone finds THEIR credit cards and runs up a huge bill…. its only a white collar crime so don’t get upset if the company wants you to make good on it.
Must have had the no balls Bergosh sentence her, even Andy would have locked up in a cell next to Otis,,
You have never done any speeding notice I said laws not crimes no one is perfect unless you are the new messiah. No one should pass judgment on another it’s not your duty! AND THERE ARE SENTENCING GUIDELINES ! It’s called crude and unusual punishment! In fact these laws are out into place for people such as yourself! If you were a judge and did send her to prison or whatever you think fit you or yourself or they and them self would be breaking the law it is based on a majority not what you want if someone stole something that belonged to you you would want them to suffer really bad but yet the same item that was stole from someone else that you knew no history of the item lest call it a wood carving from your great great grandma passed down for generations me as an outsider it is just a piece of wood to you it is more valuable that is where civil court comes into play. Your punishment you see fit isn’t what others see fit
No I am not convinced that being a thief is not so bad because is “white collar”. Please! Some of us actually TRY not to break the law.
Maybe that is what is wrong. We have kept reducing the punish for crimes to the point that people actually think its just something minor. Laws work because punishment follows. Little punishment then no respect for the law.
So I guess by the comments if you don’t actually hurt someone go ahead because there will be little punishment. Probation is not punishment its not even a slap on the hand. More like sorry you got caught don’t do it again for a while.
To Robert V:
A white collar crime is still a CRIME. She got off easy, maybe because of the judge, maybe because of her nolo plea. I can tell you that I will remember the judges’ names come election time.
Your assumption that all of us are guilty of some crime and just haven’t been caught is way off the mark. Some people DON’T mess up. We work hard and we live an honest life. I feel sorry for your inability to comprehend that.
Stop it. There is no reason on Earth for a non-violent, first offender to do jail time for this. None. At. All. The US jails more of its population than any other county on the planet. This was the right move by a smart judge and/or DA.
It’s a white collar crime why should she be given jail time. I am 24 years old I used to be a bad example. I done 24 months probation and have yet to get in trouble again I also had same charge use posses identification without consent and uttering a forged document I didn’t do checks but when I got pulled over I used another name and signed 2 tickets in the person’s name that I used so what all of our local law abiding citizens think I should have been given the rope “speaking sarcastically”. Some people mess up give her a break she already been punished. But I guess everyone on here that posts she should have been given jail time has never been caught doing something illegal notice I did not say has never broken the law I said has not been caught yet
I don’t get Jerry excusing what she did because what? SHE STOLE! She did not even get much of a punishment. Go home and don’t do this again in the next 2 years. How about spend some time in prison and if you EVER do it again we lock you up period – no limit. Sure would make some people rethink stealing.
That is what is wrong with todays society. Some of us excuse being a thief because the person is having a hard time of life. Sorry but it doesn’t take much character or heart to know that is wrong. I don’t care what shoes she wares or walks in stealing is stealing. PERIOD. She knew it was wrong. You don’t spend almost $9,000 with someone else’s credit cards by accident or mistake.
I went to school with her. This is a sad situation. Our justice system stinks, and I am being nice. What are you gonna learn from probation, not much. I am sorry she lost her mother but to do things like this, I don’t think she thought up all this by herself. Maybe they need to look at her spouse.
why no jail time
What is with all these cases of criminals only receiving probation? are the jails so full that’s all they’ll ever fear is probation? build more jails and lock em’ up!
I know this woman, personally. She had to be in dire straits to do this, because this is not in her heart or her character . It’s very easy to sit and self-righteously condemn somebody who made a mistake . Maybe the punishment fit the person, not the crime . Walk a mile in her shoes , some of you would have done the same thing, maybe Irvin turned her in for her to get help, and it worked. She’s getting it!!
lol this is my old bus driver from highschool
Wow. I guess this kind of “sentence” is why my BIL knew he could get away with stealing from my deceased MIL.