Barker woman sentenced for special needs trust theft
Jun. 14—A Barker woman was sentenced to three years of probation for taking nearly $12,000 from a special needs trust fund while working as a homecare nurse.
Wendi Jo Oliver, 40, of Barker was sentenced to the three years probation with an additional 75 hours of community service before State Supreme Court Justice Christopher J. Burns.
Oliver, while employed as a homecare nurse for an adult victim with cerebral palsy in the Town of Clarence, falsified timesheets between Feb. 1, 2018 and Dec. 1, 2019. As a result of her actions, she unlawfully collected $11,700.00 in pay through the victim's special needs trust fund. The defendant was terminated from her position shortly after the theft was uncovered, according to Erie County District Attorney John J. Flynn.
Oliver pleaded guilty to one count of fourth-degree attempted grand larceny on Feb. 16. She paid full restitution to the victim at the time of her plea.
Flynn commended Detective Deputy Dan Brinkeroff of the Erie County Sheriff's Office for his work in the investigation.
The case was prosecuted by Chief Candace Vogel of the DA's Special Investigations and Prosecutions (SIP) Unit.
