In early May of 2012, the Mammoth Lakes Police Department started an investigation when a local victim reported that a large sum of money was missing from personal and corporate accounts which were managed by their bookkeeper, Susan Hicks. Shortly after that, police arrested Hicks. Officers said follow-up investigation revealed that the suspect had at least sixteen additional clients in Mammoth Lakes and surrounding areas. Ms. Hicks was booked at the Mono County Jail on allegations of forgery, embezzlement and grand theft. Below is today’s press release from Mono County District Attorney Tim Kendall on the disposition of Ms. Hicks’ case.
OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
October 31, 2013
Long-time Mammoth Lakes resident, Susan Lyn Hicks, now a resident of Crowley, was charged in June 2013, with 290 felony counts of Forgery and 1 count of First Degree Burglary for crimes she committed during January 1, 2006 through May of 2012.
Mono County District Attorney Investigators conducted a lengthy financial investigation involving Mrs. Hicks, who was a professional book-keeper and was fraudulently stealing from clients by forging client checks for her own personal benefit. The investigation revealed Mrs. Hick stealing from multiple victims in amounts exceeding $500,000.00.
On June 24, 2013, Mrs. Hicks plead guilty to 287 felony counts of forgery. 3 counts of forgery were dismissed by the District Attorney and the single count of First Degree Burglary was bifurcated from the plea and will be set for jury trial sometime in 2014. Under the new sentencing guidelines for realignment, none of the 287 felony forgery counts qualify for custody in the state prison system.
As a result of her plea, Mrs. Hick was sentenced on October, 28, 2013, by Judge Magit on the 287 felony counts. Judge Magit sentenced Mrs. Hicks to 14 years and 4 months to be split-up under the new sentencing guidelines. Mrs. Hicks will serve 8 years in our local jail, serving as the state prison, and 6 years, 4 months to be served on Mandatory Supervision. Mandatory Supervision will be under the Mono County Probation department, who now also serves the local role equivalent to parole at the state level for state prison sentences.
Mrs. Hicks could be transfer to the state system to serve her custody time, and any additional time, if she is convicted of the 1 remaining count of First Degree Burglary.
Mrs. Hick was remanded into custody and is currently in the Mono County Jail.
She can count her lucky stars that she gets to do her time locally. Her ever supporting family won’t have to go far to visit, and they will even be able to see mom whenever they drive through Bridgeport, for the next 8 years…raking leaves in the summer and shoveling… Read more »
So let me get this straight, Walker who systematically molested a 13 year old child gets less years that the embezzler? Well we know where our values are don’t we?
I knew Susan and worked with her and yes she is a good person and was a loyal and dedicated employee and bookkeeper for a very long time in Mammoth. She helped and supported many small businesses over a very long period of time. She also volunteered and supported the… Read more »
And yes Benett she has 16 clients but that doesn’t not mean she took from all of them. She took from 3 people just like my father said.
We are not in denial. And we have seen the evidence and were at every court date I think we know exactly what was going on and how much she really took and just because this happened doesn’t mean that we are just going to give up on my mom.… Read more »
Hey Jamie, I know your family, you were on my Schwan’s route 1.5 yrs ago. I got to know you mom very well.Shes a very nice person.[great customer] My father went away for ‘white collar’ crimes. He was a realtor/developer. He was convicted of different forms of loan fraud[forgery on… Read more »
what a bunch of bleeding heart liberals
At Ferdinand –
Thank you!
Every generation begets a more liberal generation than the one before it.
Thank God!
If you do the crime you gotta do the time. I’m not buying the – “Gee Wiz – she is really a great person so we will just let her go and she can make payments until the victims are paid back 20 years from now”. I don’t want to… Read more »
So how do you feel about “too big to fail” in regards to the banks and those who stated they are too powerful and important within the economy to be charged with any crime? Where you at? you seem to be a justice seeker?
JeremiahJoseph – Sorry but I just can’t take you seriously. You want to hijack the discussion that was going on here for your own “too big to fail” obsession. Why don’t you go play on the below forum. I am sure you will find plenty of people to talk to… Read more »
Your right, I do hijack the discussion and push my opinions to hard. Once I submit that comment, theres no going back, LOL. I agree, if you do the crime you gotta do the time, shouldn’t that apply to everybody? but unfortunately it doesn’t, and that is why I was… Read more »
sorry folks,shes just a criminal in the news
I must say this family seems like it is in some serious denial. Obviously someone is not telling them the whole truth and they need to get to the bottom of who that is. I think everyone else already knows who is misleading them, but obviously they are just not… Read more »
Addicts, as you said, most often lie and are masters of deception. The first ones you fool, after yourself, is usually family. I’m sure DA would have charged family members if it rose to that. Good chance family didn’t know about it until it was too late and are kicking… Read more »
Sad for everyone involved. Hope for healing for all.
Give it a rest the amount was not 500,000 and ther was only three victims not sixteen
I’ve been by her side this whole time. I’ll be by her side when she gets out. Nobody’s going to get anything back with her in jail. I would much rather see her working and paying people back that makes the most sense.
If she was out of jail victims would still only be getting pennies on the dollar and I’m sure the victims never wanted to be in the money loaning business in the first place. If family doesn’t want her in jail then the family needs to cash in retirement, sell… Read more »
All of you quit talking your making it worse! Some of us do know the truth! remember ?.We all will answer someday. He will judge!. So be warned be good!. We all know what we have done and have not inside.
“We will all answer someday”
we all pay our debts one way or another this is true
According to the Mono DA, the amount is $500,000. According to Mammoth Police their investigation found that she had 16 clients.
BK
all i said was “not too smart”. it wasnt
14 years is a long time to go without a margarita.
Jamie and Jillian, I’m glad you both love your mother and are there for her. She did make a mistake and is now paying the consequences. I don’t know why people on this site have to condemn her. It’s not like she stole from them, she stole from people she… Read more »
come on people, I don’t mind the thumbs down (everyone is entitled to their opinion), but I would like to hear from the thumbs downer people…tell me, what is the value gained by Inyo and Mono County (and the people thereof) by having the Paiute Palace here?: The negatives are… Read more »
Paiute Palace is not in Inyo County. Whether it serves the interests of the citizens whose jurisdiction it is in is up to them to decide.
Sugar – I’ll take your bait – I like Paiute Palace. Not as much as Vegas but if I have an itch to go play some Blackjack I like having it as an option. Just because some people have problems with gambling, alcohol, or pick your poison doesn’t mean the… Read more »
@sugar magnolia I as well appreciate a good counter argument, I mean how are we supposed to learn or grow if we just keep reinforcing our own BS with what makes sense to only us.. and out of credibility and when I feel strongly about something My “real name” is… Read more »
I dont know who any of you are but you need to stop bashing other people. Cant you guys just stop and think about things you have done in your life that your not so happy with yourself! Like i have said a MILLION times. What my mom did was… Read more »
First, the District Attorney has every right to issue information about court cases. They are conducted in public and the public has a right to know the outcomes. Press releases also let the people know what their DA is doing to enforce the law. The DA is under no obligation… Read more »
In the US criminal and civil trials are public proceedings for very good reasons. For our justice system to operate properly, and as our founders intended, trials must be conducted in public so the public can be certain that the process is honest, laws are enforced consistently, that evidence supports… Read more »
Jillian & Jaime, sorry for your pain and that of the other victims also. While I am certain that Benett will report the official words and the facts that she gathers, as she should, I also know that if you pay any heed to the condemnation from the pseudonyms that… Read more »
GREAT post,Russ……agree 100%…
287 felony forgeries do not add up to a mistake. We all make mistakes but stealing over $500,000 from your clients and neighbors is different is evil not an accident.
My mom is a wonderful person and anyone who knows who she really is will say the same exact thing. She made a Mistake. We all learn from our mistakes. Before everyone starts saying how bad of a person my mom is I want everyone to sit and look at… Read more »
I am so sorry about your mom, I remember your mom so well, I lived in Baldwin Park across from your moms Grandma Ann McLauchlin, I really miss and love her so much.
Two wrongs won’t make it right and prison isn’t right either.
No matter the measure of good or bad, justice is meant to protect the equitable right of freedom for One as is for All, and nothing more. Punishment by and by, is the other side of just. =
She forfeited her right to walk free with honest people when she stole from her customers. I will never understand those who feel even one ounce of sympathy for confessed theives. She knew what she was doing and that it was both morally wrong and illegal. She would be doing… Read more »
Most human beings deserve compassion which doesn’t mean letting them get away with immoral or illegal acts. You’ve made your self-righteous condemnation, so move on. Maybe we could consider why there are so many embezzlements coming to light this year and last.
Benett Kessler
Why are there so many embezzlement this year Bennett? Are things that hard out there for folks? Also, where do we as a society draw the compassionate line between “most” human beings who deserve compassion and everyone else who I assume does not? I can’t find it. Not picking a… Read more »
Mongo, Good point about drawing any line re: compassion. I started to say all humans deserve compassion, but I then thought about psychopaths and hesitated. They probably need compassion too. Maybe more than most. Their problem is deep and ugly. I can’t claim to understand what makes some people exist… Read more »
Mongo, Thanks for making the point about compassion for all versus some. I started to say all and then thought about psychopaths and hesitated. However, they may need it more than most. By compassion I mean respect and consideration as a human being. We did email DA Kendall and asked… Read more »
Thanks BK,
That makes sense, a gambling addict would believe that “this time will be different” or I’ll just “borrow” a bit more to make it right.
Thanks for your thoughtful response (and investigative reporting).
Best wishes to the family.
Mongo
“Maybe we could consider why there are so many embezzlements coming to light this year and last.” It’s usually just greed but perhaps this is different Let’s judge that by what she spent the money on. In my case it was hot tubs, toy haulers, big screen tv’s, diamonds, expensive… Read more »
Bennett,
What ever became of Roxann Foley? She took money from the bank in Bridgeport.
She went from Mono to the federal court system. Will check it out.
BK
Or what ever happened with the embezzlement at Inyo Mono Body? I didn’t hear what happened there.
The last we checked, a couple of weeks ago, Bishop Police Chief Chris Carter said his officers were still investigating and expected to deliver a report to the DA.
BK
She sounds like a crook to me, if was very smart she would not have done it.
I feel for Jillian and the family.. But being a victim of embezzlement sorry doesn’t cut it for me either. Full restitution is what makes me feel better, and is the only thing that should keep her out of jail. The judge came down pretty hard on her which makes… Read more »
Hmmm let me see Ms Jillian Hicks……. Did you ever think of what your mother put the multiple families through that she that she embezzled from? How much time and grief they have went through? Much less the tax payers that have had to pay for law enforcement to spend… Read more »
And, the Paiute Palace loses yet another serious player…at least for 6 more years.
not too smart
My MOTHER is a VERY smart woman! people make mistakes and learn from them, you have no idea what my family was going through at the time and currently so please refrain from saying things that you have no knowledge of!
In these difficult times where the rich are getting richer while people are losing their jobs and the price of groceries slowly increases week to week and certain political groups are wholeheartedly supporting the rich, some people are finding themselves in desperate situations.
Get used to it.
Jillian- good luck to you and your family. I’m glad your standing up to those negative bottom feeders!
Hey Jillian – Where is all the stolen money at? Did you benefit from the stolen funds? Did it pay for anything you use like food or a car or anything? What are your thoughts about the families and/or individuals who were victimized to the tune of hundreds of thousands… Read more »
Hey sean – How do you find it necessary to ask such questions when Jillian is a victim of her mom’s actions as well? Yes she may have indirectly benefited somehow but why kick somebody while they are down? All of you bashing this Individual for stealing, where was your… Read more »
I’m plenty outraged over our tanked economy.
Don’t care much for realtors either.
JJ: Good points. Not only did the bankers get away with it, they got bonuses. Remember Martha Stewart? 6 months for $61,000? And the bankers got — well, nobody really knows how much they got. I guess the moral is if you are going to commit a crime — go… Read more »
Jeremiah – Your statements reflect a lack of understand of how the US economy functions. Some guy with your same name was babbling the same nonsense in the 1800’s during one of our 56 prior recessions. Just keep on worrying about your New World Order conspiracy theories and you’ll be… Read more »
sean, I’m saying what is the use in doing interrogation questions here on this blogging sight or in other words why attack the daughters of the alleged perpetrator, they didn’t commit the crime, don’t hold them to something that they didn’t do! Now we are in a debate, Lack of… Read more »