Oak Harbor welfare cheat faces jail time
By JESSIE STENSLAND
Whidbey News Times Assistant editor
April 1, 2011 · 2:57 PM
A 42-year-old Oak Harbor woman who lied about her family’s earnings to receive welfare payments may do jail time at home.
Lisa Latta pleaded guilty in Island County Superior Court March 21 to first-degree theft and second-degree perjury.
The judge sentenced her to 90 days in jail, but ruled that she may serve the time through a home monitoring service.
Latta is accused of lying about her family’s earnings in order to receive welfare, court documents indicate.
Debbie Cheek, an investigator for the Department of Social and Health Services, wrote in a probable cause statement that Latta received $8,710 in financial, medical and food assistance she wasn’t entitled to collect.
The report states that Latta withheld her earnings and husband’s earnings when she applied for assistance.
Contact Whidbey News Times Assistant editor Jessie Stensland at jstensland@whidbeynewsgroup.com or 360.675.6611 ext. 5056.
Comment on this story.
So keep your comments:
- Civil
- Smart
- On-topic
- Free of profanity
We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.
