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Woman sent to jail for stealing from Lebanon Raceway

Woman place more than $31,000 in bets without paying

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By Denise G. Callahan, Staff Writer 4:22 PM Thursday, December 10, 2009

A former Lebanon Raceway employee was sentenced Thursday, Dec. 10 to six months in jail for stealing $31,300 from the track.

Warren County Common Pleas Judge Robert Peeler ordered Haley Baldwin, 27, of Oregonia to pay restitution and also sent her to jail. She will be allowed out on work release so she can repay what she took.

Baldwin entered what is known as an “Alford” plea in October, which meant she did not admit anything, but could bypass the risk of a trial. She was indicted in May on a fourth-degree felony theft charge.

Peeler could have sent her to prison for 18 months and fined her $5,000, but he said since she is repaying the cash he wasn’t going to fine her. She will be on probation for five years and the court will monitor her restitution payments.

“I can’t get past the fact you stole $31,000... there has to be some consequence,” Peeler said.

Assistant Warren County Prosecutor Travis Vieux had asked the judge to sentence her to 60 days in jail. He said she was making bets on races while working at the track and not paying for the bets. The track had to pay the winners with their own money because Baldwin didn’t ante up for her bets.

Baldwin’s attorney Bill Fowler told Peeler other than some traffic violations Baldwin hasn’t been in trouble with the law before and she is trying to repay the money.

“She is currently working on restructuring a home loan that would allow her to have disposable income over what she has now,” Fowler said. “So restitution can be made in a timely and regular fashion.”

However, a foreclosure was filed on Baldwin’s house on Olive Branch Road on Nov. 20. Fowler could not be reached for comment on the foreclosure. Prosecutor’s spokesman Matt Nolan has this to say.

“We were not aware of all of the details of her personal finances, but they have no real implication on the sentence,” he said. “She is ordered to make restitution, and that is a term of her probation.”

Mel Hagemeyer, director of operations at the track, said they are satisfied with the outcome of the case.

“There’s no hard feelings,” he said. “We’re just glad she has to pay it back.”

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4525 or dcallahan@coxohio.com.

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