By: Lydia Crawley
The Parsons Advocate
Vida Cantwell appeared before Judge Steven Shaffer in Tucker County Circuit Court Monday, March 9th to enter into a plea deal on an initial two count indictment including Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person for the theft of $12,500 from the bank account of her Parsons uncle.
The 48 year old appeared in court along with her Attorney Brent Easton. Tucker County Prosecuting Attorney Savannah Hull Wilkins represented the prosecution in the matter.
Wilkins said the plea deal was agreed to due to Cantwell’s lack of a criminal history and the desire to make sure that the victim in the case gets his money back, a fact that would not happen if the defendant was incarcerated and not working.
Through the agreement, Cantwell plead guilty to Count One of the indictment, Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person, and the second count was dropped. Under the Deferred Adjudication Agreement, after completing three years of probation and restitution of $12,500, Cantwell will have a clean record with complete withdrawal of her guilty plea. However, Judge Shaffer expressed, if conditions are not met, the court will proceed with the felony charge.
Canwell requested that she be allowed to complete her check-ins at Barbour County. Judge Shaffer referred the request to the Probation Office for consideration.
Restitution was set at $348 per month for the duration of Cantwell’s probation. All restitution payments will have to be made to Tucker County, Judge Shaffer said. Judge Shaffer made sure to ask Cantwell if she felt she could afford to make the payments each month in that amount. Canwell said she would.
“I don’t like to set people up for failure,” Judge Shaffer said.
Conditions of Cantwell’s agreement include: no violations of the law, no missed payments, payment of restitution in full, no contact with the victim, no drugs and any other conditions that the Probation Office considers prudent in the case.
Judge Shaffer also asked if Cantwell had considered completing her GED. Cantwell informed the court that she could read and write and understood the charges that were laid before her, as well as the terms and conditions of the plea agreement. As to completing her education, Cantwell said, “possibly in the future, but right now I’m focused on my mom and spending as much time as I can with her,” as well as with her grandchildren.
Wilkins recounted the facts of the case, effectively what the State would expect to prove should the case go to trial. On March 6, 2025, Parsons Police Chief Kevin Keplinger received a complaint of Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person. The Parsons resident had a total of $12,500 taken from their bank account in two increments. The resident had been convinced to name Cantwell, his niece, as executor of his will, as well as Power of Attorney and eventually placed on bank accounts and transfer a truck title to her name. The second draw from the bank account, Wilkins said, was used to purchase a camper.
It was only when the bank statement arrived, that the victim discovered the theft and went to the authorities. Wilkins said that after authorities had been notified, Cantwell attempted to transfer title of the truck. The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office placed an administrative hold on the transfer, stopping the transaction. Cantwell admitted to taking the money, Wilkins said, in two draws of $9,000 and an additional $3,500, respectively.
Cantwell entered both a verbal and written plea of guilty to Count One of the indictment: Financial Exploitation of an Elderly Person. Count Two of the indictment was dismissed, per the agreement. Cantwell will complete three years of probation and pay $12,500 in restitution to the victim, as well as have a no contact order in place. At the successful end of the three years, her record will be expunged. Should she fail to complete probation, the court would proceed with the felony charge.
