photo by: Mugshot courtesy of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office

Honesty Trussell is pictured with the Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center.

A former employee of an elder care facility in Lawrence who was accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a resident was found guilty Friday of attempted mistreatment of a dependent adult.

The defendant, Honesty Trussell, 25, pleaded no contest to that felony in a deal with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office. She had originally been charged with felony mistreatment of a dependent adult or elder person and felony theft stemming from incidents in March and April, when she worked as the life enrichment coordinator at The Windsor of Lawrence, an assisted living and memory care center at 3220 Peterson Road. Her trial in the case was set to begin on Jan. 6.

As a factual basis for Trussell’s plea, Judge Sally Pokorny referenced the Sept. 13 preliminary hearing, at which the residence director of The Windsor, Ashley Burnison, testified about a resident having noticed unauthorized transfers of money from her financial account.

As the Journal-World reported, Lawrence Police Officer David Hogue told the court that he responded to a report of theft at The Windsor on April 11. He said he visited with the resident, who had a mobile phone and an iPad or similar tablet, and he said that she appeared to need some help using those devices. Hogue said he learned that money was sent via the resident’s phone to Apple Pay, a mobile payment service — and specifically to a phone number that matched Trussell’s.

Hogue said he viewed screenshots showing 15 transactions, beginning on March 28, totaling $2,000. He said Trussell, when confronted, admitted to receiving the transfers, but she said the money was a “gift” from the resident and that she intended to repay it.

Burnison testified that The Windsor prohibited employees from accepting gifts of any kind, monetary or otherwise. Hogue said that he asked Trussell if she was aware of that policy and that she said yes.

Assistant District Attorney Madeline Bjorklun and Trussell’s appointed attorney, John DeMarco, said they believe that Trussell has no criminal history. The charge to which she pleaded Friday presumes a sentence of probation, but that will depend on the findings of a presentence investigation. Trussell is scheduled to be sentenced on Jan. 29.