Woman Given Time to Repay Quake Aid

A judge set a new sentencing date Monday for a woman convicted of falsely claiming to have lived in the Northridge Meadows Apartments to give her time to return emergency aid money she fraudulently received.

U. S. District Judge Terry J. Hatter Jr. refrained from sentencing Denise Jones, 36, of Carson after her attorney stated during a hearing Monday in Los Angeles that her client was prepared to pay back money she illegally obtained from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Jones pleaded guilty in April to one count of making a false claim to a government agency for seeking FEMA aid by telephoning an assistance line and giving her address as the Northridge Meadows complex.

The failure of the apartment’s first floor led to 16 deaths during the Jan. 17 earthquake.

During the hearing, Eda Suh, a public defender representing Jones, told Hatter that her client had made a very serious mistake by filing the false claim, but that Jones is ready to make full restitution.

When Jones, who at one point allegedly tried to cancel the claim, received the $2,300 check, she became confused and deposited the money into her mother’s account, Suh said.

Hatter postponed the sentencing until July 11, at which time he ordered Jones to appear with a cashier’s check to be turned over to FEMA.

A probation officer had recommended that Jones receive probation and three months of community service. But Hatter said he plans to impose that sentence and possibly more should Jones fail to return with the check.

“She needs help,” Hatter said.

Jones is one of as many as 30 people to be charged with filing false claims after the Northridge temblor, Assistant U. S. Atty. Edward Moreton said.

Last month, Daniel Richards of Hollywood was sentenced to two months in prison, Miguel Cordero of Van Nuys to four months in prison and Mary Mitchell of Paramount to three years probation, stemming from their convictions on the same charge Jones faced.

“These are some of the first prosecutions,” Moreton said.

“More complex investigations are ongoing.”

Moreton said he could not confirm that Jones had tried to cancel the claim she made.

However, he said he is aware that she later confirmed her initial telephone claim with a FEMA worker.

“She’s been free at any time to give the money back and she hasn’t, as the judge recognized,” Moreton said.