FRESNO, CA (KMJ) – Former Fresno County workers are accused of stealing from the dead plead not guilty to the felony charges.
Six of eight people accused of stealing from the dead pleaded not guilty Wednesday in a Fresno courtroom, while the others await their hearing, including one scheduled for Thursday, March 29th.
The State Attorney General’s Office filed a 34-count complaint back in March, stating the theft of the estates all took place between 2010 and 2013.
Among the items stolen was cash, cars, and jewelry with transactions over 120-thousand dollars.
Three of the four employees accused were from the County’s Public Administrator’s Office, the fourth worked for Fresno County’s Public Guardian’s Office.
Fresno County DA Lisa Smittcamp learned of the alleged thefts in January of 2015, when her office took over administration of the Public Adminstrator’s Department.
“It is the most disturbing thing that has happend to me since i have been sworn in.” – Fresno DA Lisa Smittcamp.
Smittcamp turned the investigation over to the California DOJ and State Attorney General’s Office.
The felony charges range from embezzlement to perjury and conspiracy.
Click below to listen to the story by KMJ’s Liz Kern:
