A woman with a decade long history of lying and stealing received a 10-year prison sentence today for her most recent set of crimes.
Judge Carl C. Brown Jr. warned Terra Garner that probation wasn’t an option, considering the number of criminal counts she faced and her criminal history.
Ms. Garner pleaded guilty in Columbia County Superior Court for crimes committed there and in Richmond County. Most of the charges of forgery, credit card fraud and theft resulted when Ms. Garner helped herself to possibly as much as $30,000 from the bank and credit card accounts of her employer, Ashmore Concrete Contractors.
Most of the money was used to pay for Ms. Garner’s lavish wedding on Sept. 8, 2007, while she was still married to a Michigan man. The crime she admitted to committing in Richmond County was bigamy.
What Assistant District Attorney Adam King said was particularly distasteful was Ms. Garner’s false claims to her employer and co-workers that she had cancer, he said. Ms. Garner received about $6,000 in sick leave benefits from Ashmore Concrete, Mr. King said.
“I want to apologize to Mr. (Jerry) Ashmore. I am so sorry, from the bottom of my heart,” Ms. Garner said.
But Mr. Ashmore, who trusted Ms. Garner and hired her as his executive secretary in October 2006, asked the judge to impose a prison sentence.
It’s not that he didn’t want Ms. Garner to pay the money back, Mr. Ashmore said. “I want restitution but not at the expense of other victims who may come after me.”
Mr. Ashmore wasn’t Ms. Garner’s first victim.
In 1999 she pleaded guilty in Henry County, Ala., to reduced charges of misdemeanor theft. According to court records there, Ms. Garner stole from her employer. She also pretended to have cancer, going so far as to shave her head, Mr. King told the judge Thursday.
In 2002 she pleaded guilty in Oakland County, Mich., for passing fake checks. She was sentenced to serve 153 days in jail, according to court records. Criminal charges filed in 2003 and 2005 were dismissed. In Michigan she also falsely claimed to have cancer, Mr. King said.
Wherever Ms. Garner has gone, fraud and financial ruin has followed, Mr. King said.
But Ms. Garner’s family stressed Ms. Garner has become determined to change and make up for the damage she caused. Her brother, Tony Taylor, told the judge he had a job waiting for Ms. Garner. She needed to be out and working to pay the money she took, Mr. Taylor said.
Assistant Public Defender Jason Hasty asked the judge to consider how long ago the prior crimes occurred. She is remorseful for stealing from Mr. Ashmore and wants to repay the money, Mr. Hasty said. He described the bigamy crime as a careless mistake.
Ms. Garner blamed the events leading up to her September 2007 wedding on an addiction to prescription pills. She faked the cancer to cover up for all the pills she took, Ms. Garner told the judge.
“I just ask for a second chance, you honor.” She pledged to make him proud of her.
Judge Brown imposed the 10-year prison sentenced and added 10 years probation to begin after the prison term. He said he would be willing to reconsider the sentence if the restitution was paid in full, Judge Brown said.
Reach Sandy Hodson at (706) 823-3226 orsandy.hodson@augustachronicle.com
The Augusta Chronicle ©2010 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
What a fair and equitable sentence. Well done, Judge Brown.
Well the loving brother can mortgage his house and pay the debtors and collect from his sister. I am sure she would make enough from the waiting job to pay him. And that way the judge will reduce the sentence to something a murderer would have received.
Are you kidding me? FAIR??? Did you not see the 15 cases before this, the same day in front of the same "Honorable" Judge Brown... ALL of which got 12 months probation and time served already would be deducted from that. There were robbers, a guy who stabed his bestfriend, gambling, DUIs and EVERYONE got 12 months probation. I think that it goes to show if you (Jerry Ashmore) have money the judge will put someone under the jail if you want him to. However, go stab some "unimportant, unwellthy" person and that is ok, you can get probation and go home. That sure does seem fair. Then You talk about being paid back, well well... Mr Jerry Ashmore has been paid IN FULL!!! He filed this on his business insurance. Yeah, they (the newspaper) left that part out. Did this young lady need to get time in jail, yes I think so. The real question is, should she get more time than a person who murders someone? Last month the lady that KILLED her own 8 month old son got 5 years. GO FIGURE!!! Where is the justice?
I think that this stupid worthless brod ought to pay all of this money back..and while we are @ it lets tack on some interest charges to this already high balance. you go ahead and tell everybody you have cancer when you really don't and it just might come back to bite you where the sun don't shine.
She is a career criminal and she is never going to change. She has been doing this for over 10 years. And in 10 years, when she gets out, she's going to do it again. It's not about punishment, it's about protecting society from her. And comment, business insurance won't pay unless you prosecute and ask for jail time. That's the law. Did you know that?
Maybe you (corqimom) should look into the law. When you file a business insurance claim to get money back it is then up to the insurance company to file charges to get their money back. The insurance company did ask that she be on probation so she could pay them back, however she (terra) has paid back over 85% of the money.
well well to all those who think they know everything, Jerry Ashmore was paid and lied in court he filed it on his insurance company and now we have contacted them to let them know he is trying to get the money that should be paid back to them and also Mr Ashmore how is your law suit going on the illegal dumping your company is being investigated on, my how the rich seem to not get their dirty laundry aired, bet the enviromental activist would love to get that info Yes she did wrong but I guess she is more of a threat Mr King then the robbers, rapist and murders you put back on our streets, I feel so much safer..................
oh by the way, Mr Ashmore did not wait until she was convicted he got his money a long time ago, and yes they did pay him and now they are being told that he is stating he is out all of this money and he lied, he jumped the gun before she was convicted and then stood in court and didn't even know how much she took he had to look back at the DA and then still didn't get it right, who stealing from who...........
No, sorry, you can't file a claim unless you are willing to prosecute. The crime was committed against the business, not the insurance company. The business agrees to subrogate the claim to the insurance company. It wasn't the insurance company's money that was stolen, it was the business'. If someone breaks into your house and steals your things, who calls the police, you or the insurance company? Who suffered the loss? Who testifies in court? If she could pay back 85% of the money, why did she steal it in the first place? Is she going to reimburse the owners of Ashmore for the time they spent on this? Is she going to reimburse the insurance company and the court? Stop trying to justify what she did. She did it, not Mr. Ashmore, and only she is to blame. She did it deliberately and willfully. I guess she won't have to worry about her prescription drug habit in prison, will she?
I would also like to point out to, Lookatthis, that he was legally entitled to recover his money. Paying the money back was an admission of her guilt right there. Paying the money back does not stop prosecution, and under subrogation, he will have to reinburse the insurance company. The crime was committed, period. She did it, period. "Jumping the gun". What a stupid thing to say.
I understand he should get his money back but he did and I can tell you this much if someone stole that much money I could tell you exactly what she took
lookatthis, that shows your ignorance. She is an accomplished thief and she knew exactly how to do it. She only has to pay back what can be proven in a court of law that was stolen, and there is always more of a loss than can be proven. I guess by your standards, it's ok to steal as long as when you get caught, you pay it back.
Sassy...it's spelled "broad" not brod and I agree with your post. The chick is whacko but I bet when she gets out some dummy will fall for her again!
She is a recidivist. I think her punishment is light. I don't care if she did pay back after the deed was done. She is a career criminal. Keep her locked up.
This woman has been lying, cheating and stealing all her life. The 10 year sentence was imposed not as much as punishment but to protect society from her. She went as far as forging doctors names to medical records and judges names to court documents. She left a wake of destruction in Alabama and Michigan before coming back to Georgia to start the rampage all over again. If you doubt any of this just do a little research on her and you will see the countless crimes she committed and the lives of others she has destroyed. All because she is a thief and a habitual liar. She always wanted to live a big and fancy life. Well she got part of it right. She will now live in the big house.
When you are charged with taking from the rich, you pay when you play in their "casino".
I agree she did wrong but each of you don't have a clue about the whole truth, but I am so glad I don't have to answer to God for all of you judging her, remember you will also be judged one day by a higher authority then Judge Brown and so will she
Lookatthis96 why dont you just say your the mom. The sentence is fair. She knows she will not spend 10 years. Since she left Michigan I asked her to divorce several times a month it was not a careless mistake. Just like it was not a careless mistake to marry the Under Sheriff of Wayne County, or her engagement to the person who she worked with at the Department of Energy. Mr Garner and her family knew she was still married and hoped it would not be found out. Being her real husband I want her to get help but she will never change.
Tinman, you need to count your blessings that you got away from her. I know that she caused you a great deal of pain and unhappiness. I am so sorry that you have had to go through this. There is no help for people like that.
TinMan, it was obvious that she's a relative. We read this BS every time someone is convicted. The giveaway is "you will be judged one day yourself". Too bad her family didn't get her the help she needed long ago.
This Message is for Chelsea. I raised you as my daughter since you were 3 until your mom took you away at 11. I gave you a book as a gift Why Daughters need Daddys and wrote on the inside cover "no matter what happens in your life the ups and downs I will always be there for you, If I ever forget that just bring me this book to remind me." You cried when you read it I meant that. I have not heard from you since left. I wanted to tell you that your grandfather died but I know you mom said she told you but I know she would not. I asked to talk to you and she said she would try. I know I was not always easy on you but when you got older I explained that I did not want you to go down your mothers path and I worried about you. The greatest joy was being your dad and protecting you. Call me. Even though your mom took everything I had she could never steal the love I have for you. Call me. I will always be here for you.
tinman666 don't ever try to contact my grand daughter after what you did to her, you have destroyed this little girl and that is not from her mom that is from her, why don't you tell the truth about your past and how Terra took the fall for you, Michnigan arrested you and wanted terra to turn on you and because of fear she wouldn't you are one sick person and your day will come very soon, thats why you didn't show in court because you knew we were waiting on you but thats ok we can come to Michnigan and will we know where you are, you have down us and and stated I made her the way she is, you are such a liar, but just like Terra when you do wrong you pay and now its your turn, stay away from my grand daughter she wants nothing to do with you or your family, you have been warned...............
also tin man it was shown in court that she did file for divorce in Michigan and you could not be found, and it was not finilized, why don't you tell why you left the MSP and don't tell just for medical leave tell all the story if not I will.
If Terra was so innocent in Michigan, why did she steal in Alabama and Georgia? And there are procedures to get divorced when the other spouse cannot be located. The other spouse does not have to appear in court. Why didn't she do that? If it was never finalized, then she had no business getting married again. She did that, nobody else. It's easy to see how she got the way she is. Stop blaming everybody else for what your daughter did. She's an admitted drug addict. I feel sorry for that poor little daughter of hers. No child should have to grow up with a drug addict.
If your daughter is so innocent tell me why did and your daughter Change your post name? Afraid everyone would know who you are? I protected Chelsea from Terra and you her grandmother. Terra took the fall for me? So I must have stole the morgate money from my own house and took the checks from her employers..Several. Funny how the acorn does not fall far from the tree.. What happen at Burger King? It must have been you that taught your daugther to steal? If I knew you were waiting for me at court I would have shown up. The prosecuter and Terras lawyer had both contacted me. You dont scare me. My hand is open for Chelsea and its her choice. She knows the truth. She knows we spent every holiday together most of them without her mom because she was too busy thinking about herself. Funny how I was in Georgia several times and she always made excuses to avoid signing the papers. Tell everyone how you used to pretend to be Terras prior employer when they did the background checks. You have been a liar and a thief your whole life. I would gladly match your past with mine.
Wow. This might not be the best forum for the above posts.