The alleged ringleader of a scheme to steal from the dead that involved the Fresno County Public Adminstrator’s Office has accepted a plea deal that could result in up to four years in prison, court documents say.
Noe Jimenez, who worked in the Public Adminstrator’s Office, appeared in Superior Court on Thursday for his sentencing hearing, but his lawyer delayed it until Feb. 1.
Jimenez, 50, of Fresno, is one of eight defendants that have been charged.
Under the plea agreement, Jimenez won’t be sentenced until after the other defendants resolve their cases, defense attorney Daniel Bacon said in court. The next court appearance for the other defendants is Jan. 16.
In March, Jimenez was charged with 22 felony counts of embezzlement by a public officer, perjury and conspiracy to commit a crime. The crimes occurred from January 2010 to December 2013.
On Oct. 12, he pleaded guilty to eight felony charges. Under the plea agreement, the eight charges carry a maximum penalty of nine years. But the agreement says Jimenez faces up to four years in prison. Bacon said Jimenez could get the minimum sentence if he continues to cooperate with authorities.
Each year, the Public Administrator’s Office handles millions of dollars in assets of people who die without anyone to oversee their estates.
The criminal case first came to light in 2015 when Fresno County District Attorney Lisa Smittcamp announced that her office’s investigators learned of the thefts. (Smittcamp took office in January 2015.)
The investigation focused on the Fresno County Public Administrator’s Office, which moved from the Fresno County Coroner’s jurisdiction to the district attorney’s office.
A criminal complaint lists 31 “overt acts” of thefts from nine estates that included cars, money, cash, china, rare coins and jewelry. The defendants are accused of selling the items to pawn businesses. In one case, two of those charged split more than $44,000 in proceeds from a life insurance policy, the complaint said.
Altogether, the transactions netted in excess of $120,000, the complaint said.
Because the District Attorney’s Office declared a conflict, the state Attorney General’s Office is in charge of the prosecution.
According to Transparent California, Jimenez made $36,724 in pay plus benefits as a deputy public administrator in 2015. The plea deal says Jimenez’s eight charges involve eight estates. He has agreed to pay up at least $65,000 in restitution.
Seven other people also have been charged: Ree Bruce, Desiree Amber Robledo, Kirsten Paxton, Terrence Ward, William Stoutingburg, Susan Patricia Nesbitt, and Marty McClue. All are from Fresno, except for Robledo, who lists a Clovis address in court records.
Court records say Nesbitt, 51, faces 11 felony charges. Bruce, 62, faces four felony charges; Ward, 54, faces three felony charges; McClue, 55, and Stoutingburg, 30, face two felony charges, and Paxton, 23, faces one felony charge. All of them are free on bail or pretrial release.
Robledo, 29, was charged with two felony charges. She pleaded guilty on Nov. 8 to a single felony count of receiving stolen property. She will be sentenced on Jan. 16. The other six defendants will have status hearing on that date.
Court records say Nesbitt and Bruce also were employees in the Public Administrator’s Office. McClue worked for the Fresno County Public Guardian’s Office. Ward is described in the complaint as a Tulare County employee.
Pablo Lopez: 559-441-6434, @beecourts
This story was originally published December 14, 2017 3:53 PM.