Former care aide sentenced for stealing from patients

NEWARK – A former home health care aide was sentenced to 60 days in jail and five years of probation Tuesday after admitting to stealing from elderly patients.

Jody Zimmo, 40, of Newark, admitted to three counts of theft and one count of misuse of a credit card, all fifth-degree felonies, in Licking County Common Pleas Court on Tuesday morning.

Assistant Licking County Prosecutor Bryan Moore said Zimmo was a home health care aide through the Licking County Aging Program and stole property and money from at least four patients between April 2014 and January.

Moore said Zimmo used patients’ credit cards to purchase things for herself and wrote herself checks from the victims’ bank accounts.

Zimmo’s attorney, Jessica Gemperline, said Zimmo violated the trust of the people she worked for and the community.

“There are some situations where sorry can’t cut it and this is one of those,” Gemperline said.

Gemperline said the first item Zimmo stole was a bag of ice and the situation escalated from there. She also noted Zimmo made restitution to one victim before a police investigation began.

Zimmo brought $700 to court Tuesday to pay toward restitution.

Zimmo told Judge Thomas Marcelain she was “ashamed” and feels guilt for her actions.

“My life as well as theirs is forever changed,” she said. “I have and will continue to live with guilt for every day of my life.”

Zimmo said no amount of money she was ordered to pay could repay the guilt and shame she feels for her actions.

Moore recommended a prison sentence in the case, citing Zimmo’s victimization of one of the “most vulnerable subsets” of the population.

“It’s nice she brought restitution, but it’s not fair for her to pay her way out of this,” he said.

Zimmo faced a maximum sentence of four years in prison.

Her father spoke in her defense in court, telling Marcelain his daughter had moved back in her with her parents and the people who should be in jail are those who failed to pay child support and put his daughter in this position.

“We do not condone what she did, but she’s sorry for this,” he said.

David Bibler and Mary Hofacker from the Licking County Aging Program both asked Marcelain to punish Zimmo.

Bibler asked for Zimmo to be barred from working with the elderly, while Hofacker said at least one patient faces more than financial consequences from Zimmo’s actions.

Hofacker alleged that recently learned information indicated a form that had not been filled out properly by Zimmo could potentially cost one of the victims their health insurance coverage.

Marcelain ordered Zimmo to serve five years on probation and a 60-day term in the Licking County Justice Center, beginning Tuesday.

Zimmo will have to complete 100 hours of community service and pay $1,100 in restitution and all court costs and fees.

Marcelain also ordered Zimmo to have no contact with the victims and no jobs related to service to the elderly.

If Zimmo were to violate her probation, Marcelain said she would face a three-year prison sentence.