Tag Archives: theft

NOTTINGHAM WOMAN CONVICTED IN HOA THEFT SCHEME

Date: May 14, 2026
Re: State vs. Sarah Chester

On Monday, May 11, 2026, Sarah Chester, 44, of Nottingham, pled guilty to one count of Theft Scheme over $100,000, one count of Forgery and Counterfeit – Private Documents, and one count of Embezzlement, before the Honorable Paul W. Ishak in the Circuit Court for Harford County. Chester was sentenced to twenty (20) years, all suspended with five (5) years to serve. She was taken into custody to begin her sentence immediately following the hearing. Restitution in this case, which is expected to reach nearly $600,000, will be left open for thirty (30) days to allow the State the opportunity to verify the contact information and amounts from the various affected homeowners associations.

Facts presented in support of the plea proved that between 2021 and 2025, several homeowners associations in both Harford and Baltimore Counties hired the Defendant and her company, Magnolia Properties, to manage the HOAs and their funds. Evidence showed that over approximately a five-year period, the Defendant ran a Ponzi scheme. She syphoned monies from each HOA into her personal accounts. Chester utilized the funds for trips to Europe, country club memberships, and more. She also created fake bank statements to hide her theft and transferred money between HOA accounts to replenish stolen funds in others. Over the course of a five-year period, the thefts affected over 250 households and approximately 1,500 individuals.

Over 50 residents from various communities affected by the Defendant’s actions attended the hearing. At the conclusion, State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey issued the following statement: “To be placed in a position of trust by your community only to violate that trust in such an egregious way is despicable and behavior that will not be tolerated in Harford County. I commend the work of Assistant State’s Attorney Ari Kodeck for his efforts in securing a jail sentence in this case, as well as ensuring that restitution is ordered and these communities will one day be made whole.”

State’s Attorney Healey also thanks the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and Detective Sergent for their efforts in the investigation of this highly complex white-collar case and recognizes the tremendous amount of work and collaboration that was required to ensure that justice was served.

ABINGDON WOMAN CONVICTED ABOVE SENTENCING GUIDELINES IN MULTIPLE RETAIL THEFT CASES

Date: March 23, 2026
Re: State v. Jessica Mary Hubbard

On Friday, March 13, 2026, Jessica Mary Hubbard, 33, of Abingdon, Maryland pled guilty to Organized Retail Theft, Theft Scheme, Second Degree Assault, and two counts of Theft having a value between $100 and $1,500 in four criminal cases before the Honorable Judge Paul Ishak in the Circuit Court for Harford County.

Facts presented in support of the plea proved that on multiple dates between August 2025 and January 2026, the Defendant stole merchandise from numerous Harford County locations. including BJ’s Wholesale Club, Kohl’s, Target, Lowe’s Home Improvement, Walmart, and Dick’s Sporting Goods, totaling $8,395.06. Hubbard would enter these locations, fill her cart with merchandise, pass all points of sale, and make no effort to pay prior to exiting the stores. Following a coordinated investigative effort with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office and loss prevention at each of the named locations, Hubbard was arrested and charged.

Following the conviction, the Defendant was sentenced to fifteen (15) years of incarceration, suspending all but five (5) years to serve, followed by three years of supervised probation upon release. She was also banned from the named locations and ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $7,747.37. This was a significant upward deviation from this Defendant’s Maryland Sentencing guidelines, which suggested a sentence of probation to two years of incarceration. This sentence, at the recommendation of Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Melissa Moloney, was two and a half times more than the top of those guidelines.

State’s Attorney Alison M. Healey issued the following statement at the conclusion of the hearing: “In Harford County, we aggressively pursue justice in all criminal matters, big and small. I commend the Harford County Sheriff’s Office for taking a zero-tolerance approach to retail theft as we continue our partnership to ensure safe communities. All crimes impact public safety, regardless of their nature. I would also like to thank Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Melissa Moloney for her commitment and advocacy in this case. A tremendous amount of time and effort goes into these convictions which involve multiple incidents. I am thankful for the efforts and partnerships of all those involved that brought these cases to a close. Let this be a strong message from the Harford County law enforcement team that there is no such thing as a “smaller crime” in Harford County. If you break the law, you will be held accountable under my administration.”