Charles City woman charged with theft, fraud against Mason City healthcare provider pleads guilty
MASON CITY — A Charles City woman charged with theft and fraud against a Mason City health care provider has pleaded guilty.
Authorities accused 48-year-old Julie Vance of making unauthorized personal transactions with the business account of Lindstrom Family Practice. Vance is accused of using withdrawals, personal account payments, unauthorized checks and unauthorized credit card use totaling over $1500.
She’s also accused of obtaining over 100 prescriptions by using fraud, deceit, or misrepresentation. A criminal complaint states several of those prescriptions were for the pain medication hydrocodone.
Vance was charged with prohibited acts involving a controlled substance, a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison, and second-degree theft, a Class D felony punishable by up to five years.
As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Vance this week pleaded guilty to one count of possession of a controlled substance, a Class C felony, as well as one count of theft, a serious misdemeanor.
In exchange for the guilty pleas, prosecutors will recommend a deferred judgment and up to five years probation when she’s sentenced on October 9th.
