The former property managers of Airport Mini Mall and Apartments pleaded guilty on Monday to a reduced charge of second-degree theft for failing to deposit the rent checks they collected.
Assistant District Attorney Amy Williams said in court on Monday that the owners of AMMA contacted local police after a review of their bookkeeping found there was a discrepancy between the amount of rent collected and the amount deposited into AMMA’s bank account. A more careful review of the books by the ledgers of the organization determined that the amounts deposited were slightly less than the amounts collected beginning in November 2009 and that the discrepancy increased over time through May and June of 2010 when there were no deposits made at all.
“Finally, those deposits dried up altogether,” Williams said, adding, “The total amount missing (for those two months) was $68,000 — about $35,000 per month of May and June 2010.”
The Juneau couple, Cheryl L. Hansen, 67, and Paul E. Hansen, 63, were hired as property managers in 2001, and worked there for about nine years while living in the manager’s house. It was their responsibility to collect rent and deposit it into the AMMA account, Williams said. When contacted by JPD, the Hansen’s acknowledged that the deposits had not been made.
They claimed they had the money, but it couldn’t be located upon a search by police, Williams said.
Both Hansens were indicted in November and initially faced one count each of first-degree theft, a class ‘B’ felony that can carry up to 10 years in jail, with a presumptive range of one to three years for first time offenders.
In a plea deal that was reached with prosecutors, they both pleaded guilty to one count of second-degree theft, a class ‘C’ felony that can carry up to five years in jail.
The presumptive sentencing range for that charge is zero to two years for first time offenders.
The plea deal calls for 24 months of jail time with 24 months suspended, meaning there’s no jail time to serve, and for three years of unsupervised probation.
The agreement also requires the Hansen’s to admit to the “most serious” sentencing aggravator, which means the state would not be obligated to prove that their conduct was the most serious type of theft for that category since they are admitting it.
The Hansens will also be required to pay restitution to AMMA once that amount is determined in the sentencing hearing and to write a letter of apology to AMMA.
Juneau Superior Court Judge Louis Menendez scheduled a sentencing hearing for April 5.
• Contact reporter Emily Russo Miller at 523-2263 or at emily.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (24)
Add comment".....write a letter of
".....write a letter of apology to AMMA"?
Superior Court Judge Louis Menendez is a idiot.
Does this mean
Does this mean if I rob a bank I could get a suspended sentence and "unsupervised probation" if Menendez is the judge? What a deal..... What is this world coming to? No wonder we have rapes, murders, violence, theft, etc. There's no real consequences. Very sad...
No, lingling...
You'd also have a write a letter of apology to the bank.
"Juneau couple" skates
They took at least $68,000 plus whatever is missing over the prior year but they're sorry! I can't believe they have anything for restitution but I bet they had a good time!"
89..........you can thank
89..........you can thank Sean Parnell for his "idiot."
Geniuses
"The discrepancy increased over time through May and June of 2010 when there were no deposits made at all."
What a couple idiots, like nobody is going to notice if they just start pocketing ALL the money.
What's it take to get
What's it take to get jailtime in this town?
sheqelim
You just have to get drunk.
At least that's the only thing I've seen people go to jail for.
Big Sigh
Let's see: this was a change of plea hearing, with - according to the article - sentencing scheduled for April 5. That means all that happens was that the plea agreement with the State was laid out and guilty pleas were accepted. You can get this information by reading lines like "The plea deal calls for ...", "The agreement also requires ...", and "The Hansens will also be required to ...". That's the agreement with the prosecutors as it was recited to the court.
If you remember from reading the article on the first part of the cop sentencing, plea agreements can be accepted or rejected (for being too harsh or too lenient). Judge Menendez has not yet had the opportunity to even consider whether to accept or reject the agreement, but already you call him an idiot. He isn't the one who decided to require a letter of apology, which - GASP! - may actually mean something to the people who receive it.
Moreover, are the owners of AMMA calling out for jail time? Were they notified of or OK with the agreement? Of course you wouldn't ask those questions. Stay classy, Juneau Empire commenters. You're the present of America and probably raising some of its future too. We're in fine shape with you here.
The way the laws are
This is more of a civil matter than criminal. Its a white collar crime opposed to a more blue collar armed robbery, hence the lighter sentence. I'm not saying the couple shouldn't go unpunished but hey, that much money rolling in each month and the owners didn't check their account on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis? C'mon the mighty greenback is way too powerful to give that much trust to someone.
One detail is missing in the
One detail is missing in the story. It doesn't say if these checks were ever cashed? If they weren't cashed, then the Hansen's didn't abscond with the money, they just didn't complete the transaction. I wonder if anybody checked with the renters to see if the checks went through.
$68,000 probably a drop in the bucket
$68,000 is probably a drop in the bucket to the owners of AMMA. Like $5 to manyof us. Judges cannot win can they? I wonder what you bloggers would have said about Solomon's decision.
Yeah, Hellojuneau. You can
Yeah, Hellojuneau. You can tell they are wealthy by the lavish mall they own. That place is da bomb! Must be rolling in dough! They own a slum, in backwater Juneau.
Matson?
Of course they have money, they own alot of slums.... duh.....
and they are not so smart either. Hiring people to manage that have small claims problems? Also did you check out the courts? The Hansen's just started a trust last year..... maybe the cops should check there for the funds... and they are being charged with Theft 2 which is $500.00 to $24,999.00 , this does not even come close to the income that they supposedly absconded with even during a two month period....
Matson may be a big fish for
Matson may be a big fish for Juneau, but he ain't poo outside Juneau. I wouldn't call him rich...
Matson may be a big fish!!!
Couldn't have happened to a more deserving slum lord - lord of the ghetto.
The only thing
You can't get away with in Juneau is Killing a black wolf.... Do that and they'll string you up for sure.
Madsen doesn't own it
and I am not trying to defend Madsen for anything, but check the public records for 9310 glacier highway and see who really does own it.
If you can't say anything nice then shutup please and get the facts straight before you begin to rant.
Kpaw
Ask around Juneau and you will find that Madsen is rich.
I think you would be surprised what they own and how rich they are.
Madsen
What does it matter how "rich" Madsen is? Before to set off to trash the man, come to grips how he got "rich". Sitting at a keyboard, and belly aching about what he didnt have or how rich someone else was, was not how he made it.
WOW
Let's take this to a whole other level and blame the Madsens for everything that anyone ever did because they are so rich....blah blah blah. Obviously no one wants to know the facts of the story.
Criminal or Civil? Not Madsens Worry
White Collar Crime or Blue Collar Crime? Does it matter? It's theft, plain and simple. Whether the owner is rich or not makes no difference. And, oh, by the way? Madsen does NOT own AMMA. And the Hansens did eventually cash the checks. As for asking for restitution for those funds... that will never happen. Jail time? Forget it! The legalities all the way around suggest that the Hansens will get off practically "Scott free". Yes, they should get some jail time, but their age figures into whether or not they get any. It also presumes that they have already spent the money, so they have no way to pay the restitution. Unless they have rich relatives... Well, let's just say, because it is the "first" offense, they're going to get off easy.
Madsen Matson.......whatever...... Hansen's are the thieves.
Just a note to clarify my original post. If you hire a couple that have a background with alot of small claims problems, and you don't oversee your finances, then you can expect to have problems.... Where was the background check? Oh well, write that off!
I really wanted the cops to know that maybe if they cannot find the money, that they could check into the " trust" that was registered with the courts last year about the same time as the money started disappearing. " Realty Resources" could use some updating also. I see that they do have a business license, but are non-compliant in their business corporation.
Sounds like someone dropped the ball with their finances.....
This is pretty low. You trust
This is pretty low. You trust these people whom you pay rent to and they do something shady like this? Horrible. Sounds like something that would happen in California, not here! The repercussions from this could make the renters that were getting ripped off have a harder time finding a new place to live next time they move if the credit reporting bureaus count these as missed rent payments, and trust me, getting a bureau to update incorrect information can be a real headache!