2 Sentenced in Theft of Missing Man’s Money

Two former Santa Monica teachers convicted of stealing the motor home and life savings of a retired Glendale accountant have been sentenced to lengthy prison terms by a federal judge who accused them of treachery in the accountant’s unsolved disappearance.

Stanley Alan Hershey, 47, and his wife, Jan Vicki Fine, 38--who kept journals hinting that they thought spirits were ordering them to commit crimes--were convicted in Las Vegas of 18 counts of conspiracy, transportation of stolen vehicles across state lines and illegal use of automated banking cards.

In sentencing them Friday, U.S. District Judge Philip Pro bypassed guidelines that suggested maximum sentences of only 37 months in prison and instead imposed a 20-year sentence on Hershey, a five-year sentence on Fine and fined them $10,000 apiece.

Fine also is to serve 300 hours of community service after she is released from prison. The judge said the sentences are warranted by the circumstances in the unusual case.

Although authorities have said they suspect the couple of killing Gordon T. (Gordy) Johnson, 62, Johnson’s body has never been found and California investigators have been unable to bring murder charges. Instead, the Justice Department brought charges for federal offenses related to the disappearance of Johnson, whose body is believed to be somewhere in Lake Shasta in Northern California.

Making clear that he took Johnson’s fate into account in imposing the unusually long theft sentences, the judge told the couple: “I would be putting my head in the sand if I were to believe that Gordon Johnson left everything he owned by the side of the road and disappeared. Johnson met with a very unfortunate and fatal end.”

The couple were convicted Oct. 26 of stealing Johnson’s $219,000 motor home, a four-wheel-drive Suzuki and $120,000 in savings.

Authorities believe that Johnson, who traveled with his dog, Rocky, was killed during a stopover at a campground at Lake Shasta.

Shasta County sheriff’s officials are continuing a murder investigation.

The couple, both teachers with master’s degrees who married in 1988, practiced “channeling,” believing that spirits guided their destiny, according to testimony and evidence presented during their six-day trial. Both kept journals--entered into evidence--in which they wrote down so-called “orders from spirits.”