Berlin woman sentenced to probation for theft of GoFundMe campaign funds
A 46-year-old Berlin woman accused of taking money from a GoFundMe campaign for the family of a 21-year-old Meyersdale man who died in a motorcycle accident received a probationary sentence Thursday by Somerset County Judge Scott Bittner.
Christina Lynn McClain was sentenced to 36 months probation with 20 days on electronic monitoring for theft by deception-false impression, a first-degree misdemeanor.
According to court documents, Samuel McClain set up a GoFundMe campaign in memory of his friend, Trevor Thomas, the day after Thomas died Sept. 1, 2019, in a motorcycle crash in Summit Township.
Those funds needed to be transferred into an account of some sort, so Samuel McClain asked Christina McClain, his stepmother, to have the funds sent to her account.
Eight days later, $1,924.47 was transferred from the GoFundMe account to Christina McClain’s account.
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Thomas’ mother, Brenda, later spoke to Samuel McClain about the money. He told her that his (step) mother said the money was being held by First National Bank in Meyersdale until it cleared.
The bank manager told police that these sorts of transactions are sent by electronic transfer and the bank would have no reason to hold the funds.
"Preying on victims of a tragedy is unconscionable," said Somerset County District Attorney Molly Metzgar in a telephone interview Friday.
Christina McClain was charged on Oct. 16, 2019.
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After a plea agreement in which the charges of receiving stolen property and theft by failure to make required disposition of funds were withdrawn, McClain pleaded guilty to the remaining charge of theft by deception-false impression on March 21.
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The judge ordered McClain to pay the costs of supervision and prosecution, a $300 fine and to undergo DNA testing. A request by McClain for work release was granted.
Requests Friday morning for comment to defense attorney Jaclyn Shaw, of New Kensington, were not returned before Daily American deadline.
Follow Judy D.J. Ellich on Twitter at @dajudye.
This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Somerset County woman sentenced for theft of GoFundMe funds
