These Fresno County workers stole from the dead. Now, they must pay back the living
Three former Fresno County employees accused of stealing from the dead have agreed to a plea deal with the Office of the Attorney General.
Pleading guilty Tuesday were Susan Nesbitt, Terrance Ward and William Stoutingburg. They along with Noe Jimenez, the alleged ring leader of the scheme, were charged with multiple felonies in 2017, including embezzlement, conspiracy, receiving stolen property. Jimenez pleaded guilty early on and awaits sentencing.
The employees worked for the Fresno County Public Administrator’s Office, a department that handles millions of dollars in assets of people who die without anyone to oversee their estates.
An investigation found up to eight employees were involved in stealing cash, cars and jewelry from their client’s estates. The losses added up to more than $120,000.
The thefts came to light after family members of the dead began noticing missing items from their loved ones homes. One woman said antiques, furniture, jewelry, silverware, china, an antique pool table and a motorcycle were missing from her mother’s home after she died.
On Tuesday, Nesbitt appeared in court with her lawyer Charles McGill to plead guilty to seven felony counts, including conspiracy to commit a crime and embezzlement by a public officer. She will receive up to five years and eight months in prison.
She will also have to pay back the victim’s families.
“Restitution will be significant but in an amount to be determined,” said Tiffany Susz, deputy attorney general. “In addition we want to make sure it is clear that as a result of the her conviction she is required to forfeit her county pension benefits from Jan. 1, 2010 through May 31, 2015.”
Lawyer Roger Nuttall, representing Stoutingburg, said his client is pleading guilty to one felony count of receiving stolen property. In exchange he will be placed on one year probation and must complete 240 hours of community service.
Ward pleaded guilty to one felony count of receiving stolen property and received a two year prison sentence that he can serve under mandatory supervision. He will also be required to pay $40,952 in restitution.
Nesbitt and Ward will be sentenced on May 20.
Jimenez pleaded guilty to eight felony counts, including embezzlement by a public officer, perjury and conspiracy to commit a crime. He faces up to four years in prison and is expected to be sentenced on June. 2.
During the preliminary hearing Susz introduced evidence of several receipts from local pawn shops where the employees sold gold coins, jewels, other valuable collectibles. Some of the receipts totaled nearly $9,000. The public administrator’s theft ring also sold more than two dozen guns.
Some items they kept for themselves. Jimenez had six cars registered in his name. An investigator also reported finding photographic evidence on Jimenez and Nesbitt’s phones of lavish vacations to Europe. Both employees made less than $40,000 a year.
When police searched Jimenez’s home they found 30 diamonds and precious stones he allegedly took from the estates of the dead.
This story was originally published March 31, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
