A suspect has been accused of taking advantage of a 75-year-old woman who survived the Camp Fire by allegedly stealing over $63,000 from the insurance money issued to cover the victim’s losses.
In 2018, the Camp Fire, one of the worst fires California has ever experienced, forced an estimated 50,000 to relocate from their residences in addition to consuming the lives of several people.
At the end of July, the authorities learned about a 75-year-old woman who had lost her home in the fire and had received a check from her insurance company to assist her with the catastrophic event. They reportedly found that a 29-year-old California resident, Brenda Rose Asbury, had allegedly found a way to extract $63,100 from the woman’s settlement money.
After obtaining a warrant for her arrest in September, the authorities reported that they tried to track Asbury down for a month before they found her in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
It was discovered that Asbury had already retained an attorney, and the authorities made contact with her lawyer so that she could be told that she needed to get in touch with them.
Three days after they spoke with her attorney, Asbury surrendered herself to the Butte County Sheriff’s Office. She explained that she got there as soon as she was able since the drive from Tulsa was such a long distance.
Asbury was taken into custody for suspicion of elder abuse, embezzlement, and grand theft, for the accusations. Her bail was set at $63,100, the same amount of money she is accused of taking from the alleged victim. It was additionally stipulated that if Asbury bails out she will be required to show proof of the source of the money being used.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a theft crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.