6 Years in Prison for Fraudster

SALEM, Ore. (AP) – A woman rescued from an oceanside cliff in 2017 and later arrested on 98 theft, fraud and criminal mistreatment charges has been sentenced to more than six years in prison.

The Statesman Journal reports Heather Mounce, formerly of Dallas, was sentenced Thursday after pleading guilty to two counts of aggravated theft, 12 counts of identity theft and two counts of theft.

Defense attorney Timothy Park said domestic violence and mental illness led her to steal more than $40,000 from her former employers at a trucking company.

Prosecutors say Mounce took vacations, got massages, and went to nail and hair appointments with the money. Court documents say Mounce also created a GoFundMe account under another woman’s name saying she was a domestic violence victim and tried to garner donations.

Mounce was rescued in August 2017 by the U.S. Coast Guard near Sea Lion Caves north of Florence, which made national news.
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Information from: Statesman Journal, http://www.statesmanjournal.com