SMETHPORT — A Bradford woman accused of spending thousands of dollars using someone else’s debit cards pleaded guilty Thursday in McKean County Court.
Melissa A. Smith, 30, of Bradford, pleaded guilty to a charge of access device fraud. According to District Attorney Stephanie Vettenburg-Shaffer, between Jan. 16 and May 4 in 2020, Smith used two debit cards belonging to another person to make purchases that exceeded a value of $10,039.31.
Shaffer explained that Smith has already started to pay back restitution, and $10,039.31 is the amount she still owes. Smith must pay back the entire amount before she is sentenced, or the plea agreement will be considered null and void.
Smith will be sentenced March 18.
Smith is a different person than McKean County Treasurer Melissa Jo Smith, who has a similar name.
Also in court, Cody A. Whitehill, 26, of Stow, N.Y., pleaded guilty to a charge of false imprisonment and a summary charge. According to Assistant District Attorney Bridget Murphy, from Nov. 24-25, Whitehall physically restrained a female by preventing her from leaving a residence, and he slapped her in the face. He will be sentenced April 1.
Dylan Sprester, 19, of Mount Jewett, pleaded guilty to three counts of unlawfully killing/taking big game-closed season. In 2019, Sprester either killed or helped Charles Yocum to transport or kill three deer during the off-season, said Shaffer. He will be sentenced March 18.
Yocum has not been convicted of any charges in the case; he has a last-day-to-plea hearing set for March 11.
Brittany A. Corter, 26, of Bradford, pleaded guilty to a charge of theft by unlawful taking. On Aug. 7, Corter took at least $200 from another person, according to Murphy. Corter will be sentenced April 1.
The following people were accepted into the Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program: Crystal J. Cook, 32, of Austin, and Travis R. Gleason, 23, of Bradford, both for DUI-alcohol; Korinna Mantesta, 22, of Phelps, N.Y., for DUI-controlled substance; Shane M. Yehl, 25, of Bradford, for DUI-general impairment; and Thomas L. Galeotti, 26, of Coudersport, for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.
