A La Plata County woman was sentenced Thursday to 27 days in jail and six years of probation after pleading guilty to theft from an at-risk adult.
Elizabeth Graham did not speak in 6th Judicial District Court, where District Judge Suzanne Carlson accepted a plea deal between Graham and prosecutors.
“The issue here is repayment of restitution,” Carlson said.
It may take up to 90 days for restitution to be solidified, prosecutors said. Once the restitution is paid, Graham will be eligible for early termination from probation, Carlson said.
Graham pleaded guilty to taking almost $140,000 from an elderly man – E.D. Theriot, 92 – when she was his caregiver. A Bank of Colorado employee contacted the La Plata County Sheriff’s Office after noticing unusual activity in Theriot’s account. The bank employee noticed in November 2017 that Theriot had written $138,883 in checks to Graham, Graham’s daughter and Graham’s son-in-law.
Graham told the Sheriff’s Office that Theriot had agreed to give her the money, something he disputed. Theriot has since died.
Investigators suspected Graham, her daughter and son-in-law were planning to use the money they took from Theriot to purchase real estate.
Graham must report to jail at 1 p.m. Jan. 7.
bhauff@durangoherald.com
