Liane Anderson, of Carson City, was sentenced on Tuesday to 40 to 102 months in prison following her conviction for felony Obtaining Money by False Pretenses and Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card.
Anderson, 45, admitted to accessing the bank account and credit cards of her 83 year old mother, Amy Anderson, also of Carson City, and making numerous unauthorized purchases, withdrawals, and cash advances. Police reports indicate that, for a period of more than one year, Liane Anderson accessed her mother’s account and credit cards to buy gifts on Amazon.com, for cosmetic injections, and to post bail for a methamphetamine dealer in jail in Carson City. She also applied for credit cards using her mother’s name. The total loss was estimated to exceed $50,000.
District Court Judge James Wilson sentenced Anderson to a maximum term of 28 to 72 months for the crime of Obtaining Money under False Pretenses and to a consecutive term of 12 to 30 months for the crime of Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card. Anderson must serve a minimum of 40 months before parole eligibility. She was also ordered to reimburse $20,000 in restitution.
District Attorney Neil Rombardo applauded the sentence, stating, “Older members of our community are being targeted more frequently than ever for financial victimization, often by members of their own family. This type of financial exploitation has an everlasting impact on these victims, who will likely never recover from the loss inflicted on them. This sentence sends a message to all that we will prosecute vigorously all cases involving exploitation of the elderly and we will seek long prison terms.”
Amy Anderson was unable to attend the sentencing hearing, but the victim’s son, Gregg Anderson, traveled from California to ask Judge James Wilson to punish the defendant, his sister, as severely as possible. In a letter he read in court, Mr. Anderson said, “It was incomprehensible to me that Liane could do this to our mother. My wife and I have tried to help Liane out in so many ways. In every instance, Liane took advantage of anything that we had to offer.”
Anderson pled guilty to the charges on January 17, 2012. At sentencing, she blamed her actions on methamphetamine addiction. She told the Judge she did not want to be placed on probation, asking for a minimum prison term.
In 2010, District Attorney Rombardo established the SAVE Program, or Stop Abuse of the Vulnerable and Elderly, as a resource for senior citizens and their families in the prevention, investigation, and prosecution of elder crimes. Anyone who believes that they or a family member may be the victim elder abuse, neglect, or exploitation is encouraged to contact the District Attorney’s Office at (775) 887-2072.