EPHRATA, Wash. — A 34-year-old woman from Moses Lake was sentenced this week after pleading guilty to stealing a wallet and fraudulently using the victim’s credit cards. Carmela Ramirez was sentenced in Grant County Superior Court on Tuesday to four concurrent terms of 21 days of house arrest for four counts of second-degree theft.
Ramirez, who was initially charged with seven counts of second-degree theft, had three charges dismissed as part of a plea agreement. Judge Tyson R. Hill handed down the sentence after Ramirez admitted to stealing the wallet of an unsuspecting victim on Dec. 24, 2022.
According to the Moses Lake Police Department, the incident began when a victim reported losing her wallet at a business on North Stratford Road. Video footage revealed that the victim had placed her wallet on a chair before standing up, and Ramirez was seen taking it.
Ramirez then used the victim’s credit card to make unauthorized purchases totaling around $250. The victim was unaware of Ramirez’s identity at the time but was later advised to cancel her credit and debit cards to prevent further theft.
The investigation took a further turn when officers were notified that another transaction had been made at a nearby business. Upon arrival, officers saw Ramirez and her mother leaving the business with suitcases. The officer spotted the victim’s wallet on the floorboard of their car and questioned Ramirez, who confirmed she had taken the wallet and still had the stolen cards in her possession.
Ramirez returned the items she had purchased with the stolen credit cards, and police arrested her for second-degree theft. She was transported to Grant County Jail.
The officer’s investigation led to the discovery of receipts totaling nearly $880, strengthening the case against Ramirez. With probable cause, she was charged with seven counts of second-degree theft.
Ramirez’s sentencing is part of a plea deal in which she avoided a longer prison term, opting instead for house arrest for her crimes.