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Caretaker for elderly couple gets 18 months in theft case

LISBON — An East Liverpool woman who stole from an elderly couple she was caring for was sentenced to 18 months in prison.

Lisa Ann Keener, Price Street, East Liverpool, was sentenced Thursday by Common Pleas Court Judge Scott Washam for theft from a person in a protected class, identity fraud, receiving stolen property, three counts of theft and four counts of forgery.

Chief Assistant County Prosecutor Ryan Weikart said these were serious offenses committed by a woman Sandra and Ron Shultz were trusting to help take care of them. Instead she helped herself to a diamond ring, credit cards, cash and checks. She opened credit cards using their identity and Weikart said the couple is still determining how much they owe in debts and trying to recover financially.

Keener’s defense attorney Joseph King said asked Washam to consider a term at the Eastern Ohio Correctional Center instead of the 18 months Weikart was suggesting. King said Keener is a woman who has taken it upon herself to get help for her own mental health, including drug and alcohol counseling.

One of her counselors and a family member were both in the courtroom to support her.

Before sentencing, Keener thanked Washam for saving her life by sending her to the EOCC in the past, which helped her to get the tools she needed to get clean, beating a 15-year addiction.

“I’m ashamed of the choices I have made,” Keener said.

Washam agreed he had sent Keener to the EOCC in 2015, but was now very concerned about the nature and the extend of the crimes against the elderly couple. Reading from a victim impact statement sent to the court, Washam said Sandra Shultz had talked about how she had trusted Keener and how she now believed Keener needed to be sent to jail for her crimes.

Court documents show in late 2018 and early 2019, Keener forged four checks on the couple’s bank account totaling $2,100. Weikart said the diamond ring was pawned, but the couple managed to get it back.

djohnson@mojonews.com

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