Guilty plea entered in fraud case

SANDPOINT — A northern Idaho woman pleaded guilty Monday to conning funds from a Sandpoint nonprofit which helps cancer patients and their families.

Carey Rose Bradshaw pleaded guilty to 12 counts of conspiracy to commit petty theft by deception. In exchange for the pleas, 12 additional counts were dismissed.

Her sentencing in the misdemeanor case is set for Aug. 25.

An alleged accomplice, Jeffrey Michael McFarland, is awaiting trial on 24 theft-by-deception counts, but it was not immediately clear if his case would be resolved in a similar fashion.

The couple, formerly of Ponderay but now living in Coeur d’Alene, was charged with 48 counts of theft by deception for a ruse in which McFarland feigned liver cancer in order to obtain food and gas vouchers from Community Cancer Services over a four-month period.

Bradshaw allegedly claimed to be caring for two young children in order to obtain the vouchers, although a Sandpoint Police report indicated the kids had been removed from her home by the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare.

All told, the couple fraudulently obtained $695 worth of assistance from Community Cancer Services, court records indicate.

Bradshaw, 28, is awaiting trial on two counts of fraudulently obtaining prescription painkillers under fake names at Yoke’s and Wal-Mart pharmacies in January. Her trial is set to start on Monday.

Bradshaw also faces misdemeanor theft-of-services charges for office visits to Family Health Center in Sandpoint in which she used a fake name in alleged attempt to avoid being billed. Her trial in that matter is planned for Aug. 13.

McFarland, 26, pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting Bradshaw in the prescription fraud and is scheduled to be sentenced on Aug. 24.