Pair accused of defrauding cancer group
SANDPOINT — Two people face a total of 48 misdemeanor charges for defrauding a Sandpoint nonprofit that aids local cancer patients and their families.
Jeffrey Michael McFarland and Carey Rose Bradshaw each face 24 counts of conspiracy to commit petty theft by deception, according to charging papers filed by Sandpoint City Prosecutor Lori Meulenberg.
The two suspects are scheduled to appear in the magistrate division of 1st District Court on May 19 to answer to the charges.
McFarland, a 26-year-old Sandpoint resident, is accused of feigning liver cancer in order to obtain gasoline and food vouchers from Community Cancer Services from September of last year until January of this year, a criminal complaint said.
Bradshaw, 28, of Ponderay, allegedly claimed to be McFarland’s fiancee and caring for two young children. However, a Sandpoint Police report indicated Bradshaw’s kids had been removed from her home by the Idaho Department of Health & Welfare for unspecified reasons.
McFarland and Bradshaw used the ruse to fraudulently obtain $695 worth of food and gas vouchers from Community Cancer Services, police reports indicated. Theft cases in Idaho graduate from misdemeanor to felony if the amount of money at issue is $1,000 or more.
Officials from the organization became suspicious after they were unable to confirm McFarland’s claim that he was awaiting liver surgery, the police report said.
The two were questioned separately by police in January and Bradshaw reportedly admitted that she lied about the custody of her children, but professed to have no knowledge of McFarland’s voucher scheme, a police report said. McFarland, another report said, admitted faking the cancer diagnosis but told police Bradshaw was fully aware of the extent of the chicanery.
McFarland said he was addicted to painkillers, namely hydrocodone, the report said.
Both suspects are awaiting separate trials on felony charges of obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, district court documents show.
In those cases, Bradshaw is accused of obtaining prescription narcotics under assumed names by claiming to be an injured distance runner, according to court records. McFarland allegedly picked up Bradshaw’s prescriptions at local pharmacies by pretending to be her brother-in-law.
Bradshaw and McFarland have pleaded not guilty to the felony charges. McFarland is scheduled to be tried in June, while Bradshaw’s trial is set for July.