Ohio Teacher Gets Probation - Updated

(Cleveland, Ohio) For her conviction on multiple property crimes, Avon Middle School art teacher Anne Maiden was sentenced late last month (3/30) by Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John Russo to five years of probation.

Judge Russo suspended a sentence of five and one-half years in prison.

Maiden was, however, ordered to perform 125 hours of community service and pay restitution of more than $20,000. Nevertheless, it's odd that she received no incarceration given the extent of her criminal activities.

Meanwhile, Anne Maiden pleaded guilty and was sentenced last week in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court to two new charges of theft and misuse of credit cards.

Maiden, 39, entered guilty pleas to two counts each of theft and misuse of a credit card during a hear ing in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court and was sentenced to probation, said Ryan Miday, spokesman for Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason. He said prosecutors don’t anticipate filing additional charges against Maiden at this point.

The latest charges stemmed from a Sept. 10 car break-in at Hudson High School and an Oct. 7 break-in in the parking lot of Northwood Middle School in Elyria. In both cases, the victims’ purses and credit cards were stolen, Miday said.

In the Hudson case, Maiden used the stolen credit cards to charge $903 for a television at a Wal-Mart and $826 for gift cards at a Kohl’s, Miday said.

The Northwood break-in took place while the victim was attending her son’s football game, Miday said, and the stolen credit cards were used to rack up $1,873 in fraudulent charges.

In addition to probation, Maiden was ordered to pay $4,934.76 in restitution, Miday said.

Reportedly, the new plea and sentencing occurred because the previous month's prosecution inadvertently didn't include everything agreed to between the DA and the defense. Heh.

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Ohio Teacher Guilty of Multiple Property Crimes - Updated
[Previous 3/2/10 post]
(Cleveland, Ohio) Yesterday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, art teacher Anne Maiden, 39, pleaded guilty to a consolidated listing of property crimes committed in Ashland, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain and Medina counties.

Maiden's conviction covers charges of possession of criminal tools, 17 counts of theft and two counts each of forgery, misuse of credit cards and receiving stolen property. According to Ryan Miday, spokesman for the Cuyahoga County prosecutor:

Prosecutors are still figuring just how much Maiden is accused of stealing, and a final figure will be available at her sentencing, when prosecutors ask that she be ordered to repay the victims.

Maiden also remains under investigation for other thefts in northern Ohio that weren’t part of Monday’s plea, Miday said.

Sentencing is scheduled for later this month when Maiden reportedly faces a possible 24 years in prison.

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Ohio Teacher Accused of Multiple Property Crimes
[Previous 12/1/09 post]
(Avon, Ohio) A 38-year-old art teacher at Avon Middle School, Anne M. Maiden, has been charged with several property crimes related to break-ins of vehicles and stolen credit card use. Maiden was taken into custody by Metropark Rangers on November 4.

Maiden was indicted in four cases for a total of 30 charges including theft, forgery, criminal damaging, receiving stolen property, misuse of credit cards and possession of criminal tools.

Cleveland Metroparks conducted the investigation because the credit cards were obtained from cars parked in several Cleveland Metropark reservations.

Maiden's bond is set at $10,000. A court appearance is scheduled for this Friday.