This article was written by BenitoLink intern Brea Spencer. Lea este articulo en español aquí.
Charged last year with embezzling nearly $73,000 from the Ladd Lane Parents Club, Jennifer Starkweather-Murphy entered a no contest open plea in San Benito County Superior Court on Oct. 2.
San Benito County District Attorney Joel Buckingham said an open plea means she didn’t make a deal with the prosecution. In addition to the open plea, Starkweather-Murphy entered an Arbuckle waiver, meaning that the sentencing judge will be different from the judge who accepted her plea.
At the hearing, she also acknowledged embezzling $72,900. Buckingham said he expected that the defendant would be ordered to pay back that amount in restitution.
Starkweather-Murphy faces up to three years in county jail, with a minimum of 16 months.
Her sentencing date is Nov. 6. She is currently out on bail.
Starkweather-Murphy was charged with felony embezzlement in December 2024 after she was accused of embezzling money from the Ladd Lane Parents Club between 2021 to 2024.
She initially pleaded not guilty and was scheduled to begin her jury trial on Oct 6.
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