Wedding day thief sentenced
Instead of renewing her vows in five years, Nicole Scherer is asking for a wedding day do over.
“I want to get remarried so that we get the day we want it to be,” said Scherer, whose June 8, 2013, reception was marred by a guest’s theft.
Jennifer Ann Martz, 42, of Chicora was convicted by a jury of stealing a box full of gift cards, pilfering $475 in cash and then flushing the cards down a toilet.
Martz was convicted of theft and receiving stolen property. On Tuesday, she was sentenced by Butler County Judge William Shaffer to serve up to 12 months in prison.
But she was immediately paroled to serve 60 days house arrest followed by 18 months of probation.
No restitution was ordered since the money was recovered, reportedly from Martz’s bra, and given to Nicole and Justin Scherer.
Martz, who attended the reception at the Donegal Grange with her boyfriend, was accosted by a number of guests after the toilet was clogged with cards. They retrieved the money
Martz denied any wrongdoing. She claimed the money she had had been set aside to pay property taxes.
It had been in Martz’s purse earlier, both she and her boyfriend testified, but she chose to leave her handbag in the car during the wedding reception and instead keep the cash in her blouse “for security,” McCray testified.
Martz’s criminal record includes felony convictions in 1989 in North Carolina for safecracking, larceny and breaking and entering. However, her attorney Joseph Smith in court stressed that those convictions occurred when Martz was a juvenile.
He alleged Martz was charged because she was “in a vehicle while someone else committed those crimes.”
