Verona woman pleads guilty to stealing $372,000 from ailing father, avoids prison

STAUNTON — A woman who stole over $372,000 from her ailing father, then violated her bond by allegedly selling his truck to raise cash for an attorney, pleaded guilty last week in Augusta County Circuit Court.

Ashley E. Cook, 47, of Verona, was convicted on a charge of financial exploitation of a mentally incapacitated adult. Ten additional forgery charges were not prosecuted.

Cook was sentenced to eight years in prison with all but two months and 15 days of the sentence suspended, and she must pay restitution to her father's estate. After being incarcerated in May, she was credited with time served and released from Middle River Regional Jail on Thursday, July 18, following her guilty plea.

Augusta County Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Alexandra Meador said Cook had no prior criminal history before her conviction last week, and said Virginia's recommended sentencing guidelines in the case were low, resulting in little time behind bars.

"Her sentence is within the guidelines," Meador said. "We take the exploitation of vulnerable adults very seriously. If she does not meet her obligations to pay restitution, we will seek additional prison time."

Meador also noted it was an intrafamily issue, and said Cook was the legal heir to her father's estate and most likely still is. "He wasn't asking for her to be prosecuted," Meador said.

The prosecutor said Cook essentially granted herself an early inheritance through what she characterized as a legal misunderstanding. "It doesn't make it right, and that's why she's convicted of a felony," Meador said. "But it is categorically somewhat different from other types of cases."

Authorities first arrested Cook in March on the theft allegations after she was indicted by the Augusta County grand jury on the original 11 charges. She was allowed to remain free on a $5,000 bond.

But in May, Cook was jailed after allegedly re-titling her father's truck for about $20,000 and selling the vehicle at a local dealership to help raise cash to pay for her previous attorney, according to Augusta County Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney Hanna Harris, who prosecuted the case.

"That money has been returned," Harris said last week in Augusta County Circuit Court.

Cook's father has cognitive issues. According to Harris, Cook used her father's money to make numerous purchases at Walmart, Amazon, Instacart, and clothing stores.

The thefts began in 2019, the Augusta County Sheriff's Office said, when Cook began transferring money from her father's bank account to hers. Cook also used her father's debit card and credit card to make purchases. Adult Protective Services reported Cook to the authorities.

Given a chance to address the court, Cook, who appeared on a television monitor from jail, declined to make a statement. Cook was represented by Brittney Leach of the Staunton Public Defender's Office, who said her client had expressed remorse.

A hearing will be held in six months to determine if Cook is making restitution payments.

More: One dead in Waynesboro shooting, suspect in custody

More: NAACP Staunton hosts 78th annual Freedom Fund Banquet

Brad Zinn is the cops, courts and breaking news reporter at The News Leader. Have a news tip? Or something that needs investigating? You can email reporter Brad Zinn (he/him) at bzinn@newsleader.com. You can also follow him on X (formerly Twitter).

This article originally appeared on Staunton News Leader: Verona woman pleads guilty to stealing $372,000 from ailing father, avoids prison