Crime doesn't pay for identity thieves.
Denita Dorsey, an MSU graduate, pleaded guilty to stealing more than $100,000 from local residents two years ago.
Formerly, Dorsey was employed at what is now known as The Landings at Chandler Crossings in Bath Township. She used personal information from rental applications to apply for credit cards, student loans and open bank accounts.
On Wednesday a judge sentenced her to 60 days in jail and five years on probation. She will also make restitution payments of $500 per month starting November, which will increase to $1,000 in March.
At first glance, it looks like Dorsey is merely getting a slap on the wrist when you consider the magnitude of what she has done. The three felonies she's charged with - larceny, unlawful use of a financial transaction device and conducting a criminal enterprise - are punishable by a maximum of at least 20 years in prison and a $100,000 fine.
But in the long run, she will be paying for this mistake her entire life. Spending 60 days in jail is still a significant amount of time and the large restitution payments are probably more than she can pay each month and will run her into debt. Finding a substantial job with a felony record will also be a challenge for Dorsey. The judge's sentence was a good fit.
What happened to Dorsey is another incident in what has been an alarming trend of theft charges against people associated with MSU. Within the last few months there have been two reports of embezzlement at the university (not to mention accusations of Lansing Mayor Tony Benavides taking illegal campaign contributions).
Raye Grill, a former administrative assistant in the School of Journalism, was charged last month of taking more than $20,000 from the Michigan Interscholastic Press Association, or MIPA, and between $1,000-$20,000 from the School of Journalism. Former Residence Hall Association member, Gary A. Shivers, was charged in August for embezzling $4,500 from the RHA.
These crimes are serious. They lost thousands for MSU programs and organizations. And identity theft is even worse. Dorsey was able to steal from many people by using personal information taken from apartment rental applications.
The jobs these people held are ones that are important to the community; jobs in which they are given access to sensitive information and allowed to make decisions that affect many people.
This latest act of distrust is all the more reason employers should evaluate how much responsibility is given to a single person. With more people in the process of handling money and choice information, these crimes could have been prevented.
