Avis “caregiver” sentenced for thefts from five elderly victims
LOCK HAVEN, PA – Kathy M. Lachat, 61, of Avis, was sentenced by Clinton County Court President Judge Craig P. Miller in a pair of proceedings held on Tuesday of last week and Tuesday of this week.
The charges involved Lachat’s theft from five different elderly victims totaling more than $130,000. Judge Miller imposed a sentence of 130 months to 288 months in a state correctional facility, and ordered Lachat to pay the approximate $130,000 in restitution to the victims and their families.
Lachat had previously been convicted of forgery in 2018 for a similar theft scheme from an elderly person in Lock Haven in the amount of $1,266.81. Lachat was still on parole for that 2018 offense when she was arrested by Pine Creek Township Police and Pennsylvania State Police at Lamar on four new cases in March of this year. Police determined that for several years Lachat had befriended a number elderly individuals and care-dependent persons and volunteered to help them on a day-to-day basis with errands, groceries, medical appointments, etc. Lachat would pose as a caring, kind-hearted companion to her victims who were often desperate for human interaction and assistance with daily tasks. After cultivating this “caregiver” relationship, Lachat would take control of her victim’s finances, credit cards, and other property. Lachat would make frequent purchases on her victim’s credit cards at retail stores, typically purchasing hundreds of dollars-worth of lottery tickets at a time.
When Pine Creek Township Police Sgt. Denny Gill first arrested Lachat, he found thousands of losing lottery tickets throughout her vehicle and home and recovered credit cards and credit card statements belonging to a large number of individuals, including several who were deceased. Sgt. Gill’s discovery led to additional investigations that revealed the extensive, long-term nature of Lachat’s crimes.
In preparation for sentencing, Lachat told investigators, “This is what I get for trying to help people.” Lachat offered no comment to the Court prior to imposing sentence. The Commonwealth, represented by First Assistant District Attorney Thom Rosamilia, presented several lengthy and emotional victim impact statements from victims and their families at the sentencing hearing, all of whom asked Judge Miller to send a message to Lachat and people like her, who prey on the sick and elderly. Miller did just that by imposing an aggregate sentence that was more than double what was recommended by pre-sentence investigators, and even exceeded the 10 year minimum sentence requested by the District Attorney’s Office.
Sourced via CRIMEWATCH®: https://clinton.crimewatchpa.com/da/133000/post/avis-caregiver-sentenced-thefts-5-elderly-victims
