Politics & Government
Former Shelter Island Justice and Husband Get Probation in Theft Case
Katharine and Wayne Pope will not serve jail time nor do they have to pay back the $1 million they were charged with stealing from an elderly woman.
After pleading in an embezzlement case Katherine Pope, who served as from 1998 to 2002, and her husband, Wayne, both got probation on Jan. 10, according to a report on The Suffolk Times.
On Nov. 15, Katherine Pope , a misdemeanor, and her husband, Wayne Pope, pleaded guilty to fourth degree grand larceny, a felony, for stealing more than a million dollars from an 89-year-old Water Mill woman suffering from dementia.
The Popes stole the money from the victim, Mary Abbot Estabrook, over a period of four years, according to the district attorney's office. Mr. Pope had worked as a handyman for Estabrook and had allegedly obtained power of attorney from her, then used that power to write checks to benefit himself.
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Husband and wife will each serve a sentence of five years probation, and they are not required to pay back any money to the estate of Estabrook.
Estabrook died on July 4, 2009 at the age of 89.
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