A former health aide worker was sentenced to a suspended sentence after pleading guilty to first-degree theft for stealing $2,600 in cash from an elderly woman whose husband was in hospice care, as confirmed by the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Beverly Ochoa, 30, of Derwood, Maryland, received a 12-month suspended sentence along with one year of supervised probation and a mandate of 40 hours of community service following her February 28 guilty plea, according to details from the Justice Department's announcement.
On a late evening in October, Ochoa was attending to a hospice patient in Southeast when the patient’s wife intended to pay a second caregiver and left the money inside a drawer. She later discovered the money missing, triggering a review of home security footage that eventually incriminated Ochoa. Law enforcement, called to the scene, unearthed the exact amount tucked inside her purse, leading to her prompt arrest. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro and Chief Pamela Smith of the Metropolitan Police Department conveyed their commendation for the diligent work done by the Metropolitan Police and the U.S. Attorney's Office investigators in unwinding the course of events that led to the sentencing.
The case, drawing attention to the vulnerabilities elderly patients and their families face, was diligently prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Nickolas Reck and Katherine Ballou. Authorities extended appreciation for their efforts, which culminated in the conviction and sentencing of Ochoa.
