The former property managers of a Juneau apartment complex, who are convicted of theft for failing to deposit the rent checks they collected, have been court-ordered to pay nearly $60,000 in restitution.
Cheryl L. Hansen, 68, and Paul E. Hansen, 64, will have to pay $300 per month jointly until the $59,923.25 is paid off in full.
According to the agreement, the restitution will be collected through the state’s Attorney General’s Office and will go to the owners of the Airport Mini Mall and Apartments, where the Hansens worked as property managers for nine years beginning in 2001.
Judge Louis Menendez signed off to the stipulated figure during a hearing in Juneau Superior Court on Thursday. The Hansens did not attend the hearing because they are in Anchorage for medical reasons, according to Public Defender Grace Lee, who is representing Cheryl Hansen. Whitney Power, of the Office of Public Advocacy, is representing Paul Hansen and appeared at the hearing by phone from Bethel.
Prosecutors said it was the Hansens’ responsibility to collect rent and deposit it into the AMMA account, but they deposited slightly less than the amount collected beginning in November 2009. The discrepancies increased until the deposits dried up altogether in May and June of 2010. Assistant District Attorney Amy Williams said for the months of May and June alone, a total of $68,000 should have been deposited but wasn’t.
The investigation into the matter began when the owners of AMMA noticed the discrepancies, and notified the police.
The couple was indicted in November 2011 and they 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.
They both pleaded guilty in February 2012 to a reduced charge: one count of second-degree theft, a class “C” felony that can carry up to five years in jail with a presumptive range of zero to two years for first time offenders.
They were sentenced by Menendez in April 2012 to be placed on probation for three years. They also received two years of suspended jail time, which means that jail sentence could be imposed if they violate probation by missing a payment.
• Contact reporter Emily Russo Miller at 523-2263 or at emily.miller@juneauempire.com.
Comments (19)
Add commentSo it will take 16 years to
So it will take 16 years to pay it back, making them in their eighties. And no mention of interest? So the judge allowed them to have an interest free loan that they will die before they ever repay. Yup. We are tough on crime in juneau!
Sweat Deal
I wish I could get a loan like that. I would say seize all of their assets (car, stereo, kitchen plates) and sell those. PFD is out of the picture since they are fellons (right?).
So was this theiving drug related or just crapy casha management. Where does $60k go if you aren't paying down a house or a new car. Diversion of funds to family perhaps, accessories?
Will the owners...
...disperse awarded funds toward deposits due renters that left units better than they found them? All my son's siblings and myself left his unit spotless for no returned deposit. These managers, apparently, were padding their profit margin on these embezzled funds. Sounds like the owners came out further ahead than they rightfully should. Maybe they should hire these crooks back. I think getting full restitution passes the blame for renter abuse back onto the owners.
Thinking the same thing kpawsuh and raininak
That is a heck of a loan. Where would they spend so much money on so fast, before it is noticed to be missing. They must have been managing many apartments, right? For the owners to not notice until they had $60k.
.....
@kpawsuh
It's all about the pension and lifetime Bentley healthcare plans. Locking people up costs money.
Agism
Would a person who was younger received a lesser sentence? I smell agism. Had these people been younger would they have spent time in jail? Probably. I can understand that if they get sick we are on the hook but if they are allowed 16 years to pay back the monies we have to assume that they are going to live for 16 years. I find it really hard to beleive that you could steal $60 K and receive no jail sentence. 64 and 68 used to be the twighlight of someone's life but people are living longer. They should be spending some of their twighlight years in jail.
Agreed, Paul!
Hence, my previous post. Ultimately, these managers made the owners money (well, eventually). So, now, I hold the owners responsible for the non-payment of my son's deposit. Being a single parent of four, it was hard enough to find someone to rent to us. The kids didn't get the point of leaving a place better than you found it when I had them washing walls. I tried to impress on them the character and integrity factor, as well as how that figures in to a good name (reference). This makes me doubt that the landlords are so likely to reciprocate with an appropriate reference. But, I'm still convinced that my childrens' training has made them exceptional stewards. From houses to campsites, they leave wherever they go a better place.
crooks,,are they related to jim hanson..
ill bet they are related to jim hanson..
well
At least/last someone put the screw to madson
Don't get me wrong
I am am not saying they are drug addicts etc, but the question has to be asked what are they doing with all of that money. If I gave you $60k you would probably put some of it into some form of asset (car, house, etc). If they didn't, then where did it go? Up their nose? To family? It went somewhere and that somewhere should be sought after.
?
The property managers were padding their pockets, but isn't this ultimately the responsibility of the building owner? Why aren't they being held responsible for their "employees" actions?
iirc they were really bad
iirc they were really bad managers.
imho the owners were also terrible-this went on for years until they noticed the problem. considering how inept both parties were the agreement seems just.
Clothes
They surely didn't spend the money on clothes as they both wore rags and they drove a dump of a car. So yeah, what did they do with the money?
@isldandhopper
Madson Does not own that building. Sorry you will have to wait for someone to screw over Madson.
dang
chuck & i was having such a good day. Ho well he's got a small warm place waiting for him after this life.
pfd
No pfd only for the year someone is incarcerated
Sad Sad Sad
First of all the owners who simply allowed a manger to steal this amount needs some serious help. They obviously no very little on how to supervise employees. I'm not blaming them for the crime. I do fault their lack of attention to the matter. One of the most fundamental necessities is verifying all transactions and actual bank balances. It sure appears the owners failed to do that on a regular basis.
More important is a rediculios $ 300 a month pay back on nearly $ 60,000. The judge must not have any understanding of how the owners will be going further backwards as this sixteen year pay back takes place. Who besides a judge can believe two 64 year old individuals are going to actuly make the entire payback before they die. Our judicial system is just plain wrong about this settlement.
Skirkz
According to the Landlord-Tenant Act, They MUST return your deposit. You need to file a claim against them.
"If the tenant has given proper notice of moving out, the landlord must provide a written, itemized list of
accrued rent and damages with any refund due the tenant within 14 days of the date the tenancy is
terminated and possession is delivered by the tenant. If the landlord willfully fails to comply with this
requirement, the tenant may recover up to twice the amount withheld by the landlord