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	16 Months for Church Embezzler By Michelle Durand Daily Journal [Burlingame] April 28, 2007 http://www.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=74242 The Burlingame church volunteer accused of stealing $6,000 for a stay at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Half Moon Bay and drug store shopping spree was sentenced to 16 months in prison and ordered to repay a number of victims, including those for whom she was not convicted. Jessica Corbyn Lack, 38, must serve at least half the sentence before being eligible for parole. She receives eight days credit toward her term and returns to court May 18 for a further restitution hearing. Amounts are still pending for a number of sources, including the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Planet Pooch, Office Depot and Wells Fargo Bank. Some of them reimbursed the church after Lack's activities came to light. Other reported victims, such as the owner of the Cycle Shack in South San Francisco, disputed the amount they were owed, leading to a delay in Lack's sentence while the probation department prepared more restitution statements. Lack's sentence was the maximum allowed under the negotiated plea bargain accepted in March. Under the terms, Lack would repay all the bad checks and thefts stemming from a new fraud case although the criminal case was never filed. She also pleaded no contest to two felonies in return for prosecutors dropping other charges of grand theft, embezzlement and forgery. Lack reportedly stole 20 checks while volunteering at the Burlingame United Methodist Church on Howard Avenue in August and September. Prosecutors contend Lack forged five checks totaling $6,000 and inappropriately used a credit card she was given to purchase pizza for a church event. Instead, Lack allegedly spent $500 at the Half Moon Bay hotel and bought $300 worth of goods at Walgreen's. The church learned of the embezzlement when the bills came in. Lack said she threw away the other 15 checks, according to Burlingame police. If Lack had opted for trial on the charges, she faced up to four years in prison if convicted. Rather than travel than route, Lack changed her plea just prior to a preliminary hearing on the evidence. Michelle Durand can be reached by e-mail: michelle@smdailyjournal.com or by phone: (650) 344-5200 ext. 102.
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