BY TAMMY STABLES BATTAGLIA
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
MARCH 20, 2010
A Canton couple pleaded no contest Friday to embezzling money from prepaid funeral customers and has agreed to pay back 23 victims.
Christopher and Nancy Ziomek, who operated the now-closed Ziomek Funeral Home on Wayne Road in Livonia, entered the pleas in Wayne County Circuit Court to one count of embezzlement of $50,000 or more, but less than $100,000. The offense is punishable by up to 15 years in prison.
As part of their plea, the Ziomeks agreed to pay back the 23 victims, who are owed a total of $257,119, said Assistant Prosecutor Robert Spada, who heads the Elder Abuse Unit of the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.
"This is such an outrageous case," Spada said. "Unfortunately, these victims are passing away with prepaid funerals and nobody to honor them. We want to make sure they're made whole."
He said other funeral homes have stepped forward to provide the funerals, with the understanding they'll be paid back with restitution money.
The Ziomeks are supposed to arrive at their final sentencing hearing May 3 with a payment of $107,119, followed by two more payments 90 days apart. They'll then be on probation for five years. If the restitution isn't paid in full in nine months, the couple faces between 2 and 15 years in prison, Spada said.
"The defendants agreed they have the ability to pay," he said, adding he didn't personally know what they do now to earn a living. "We don't want this to be just they enter into a plea and they don't have the money."
The couple's sentencing is scheduled for 9 a.m. May 3.
SOURCE: FREEP.COM
__________________________________________
Click for Updates, More Cases and Resources
Search Right Col/Labels for More Posts/Resources
No comments:
Post a Comment