OTTAWA COUNTY, Mich. (April 14, 2014)– A state worker from Ottawa County is sentenced to 30 days in jail for taking money from a disabled man from the Holland area.
Family members for the man say Andrea Beth Quigg, 35, asked the victim to fill out blank checks under the guise that she was using them all to pay bills.
Instead, the victim’s family members say she was cashing those checks.
Quigg appeared unemotional during sentencing in Grand Haven.
She indicated to the court that she didn’t want to make a statement at her sentencing hearing.
The victim, who wished to remain anonymous, said at one point, “I only had $41 to my name.”
He said he started to notice that money was missing when Quigg would take him through the drive-thru at his credit union, taking control of his envelopes full of cash.
“My check was $213.01. I got home, there was only $41,” he said.
When he asked to go into the bank himself, he said that Quigg became upset.
“She said, ‘Why don’t you find somebody else to take you down to the credit union? I’m done with you.”
In addition, the man said Quigg told him to sign checks while leaving the rest blank under the ruse she was paying bills.
However, investigators found she was filling out the checks for herself.
The victim said his heart dropped when he heard the news.
“Kind of hurt, a little bit. All these years I had her for a caseworker, and she ended up doing this to me.”
Family said Quigg had been the man’s caseworker for approximately 10 years. It was estimated that she stole more than $4,000 from him.
The man’s niece, Tammy Derooy, said when she realized what was going on and alerted county officials, Quigg was investigated and fired.
“If he had had six bills, the seventh check she would fill out would be to herself,” she said.
Quigg was sentenced to 30 days in jail and court records show that restitution of $4,525.00 was paid in full.
Still, the family was hoping for more jail time for the former caseworker.
“I’ve been enraged. It’s been extremely emotional for me,” said Derooy.
“I want to see that woman behind bars for what she did to me,” said the victim.
“I made it very clear I want every one of her clients checked because if she did it to him I’m sure she did it to others,” said Derooy.
The judge also sentenced Quigg to 18 months of probation.
