Article Courtesy of The Florida Times Union

By Teresa Stepzinski

Published September 20, 2007

BRUNSWICK - Cassandra Danielle Ray offered no apology or explanation Tuesday before her sentencing on federal fraud charges for stealing a total of $17,854 from two Glynn County homeowners associations.

Ray, 37, of Blackshear, plundered the bank accounts of the Laurel Grove Homeowners Association and Belle Point Homeowners Association to finance Internet shopping sprees for clothes and other personal items, an FBI investigation showed.

"No, sir, I don't have anything to say," Ray replied when Senior U.S. District Judge Anthony Alaimo gave her an opportunity to speak before sentencing her.

"Well, why not?" Alaimo snapped, appearing incredulous.

"I don't know what to say," Ray said.

Alaimo then sentenced Ray to three years probation beginning with six months home detention. He ordered her immediately fitted with an electronic monitoring device, that she must pay for.

Ray was fined $2,000 and ordered to pay $2,433 in restitution to the Belle Point Homeowners Association. She also must perform 200 hours of community service, Alaimo ruled.

In addition, Ray is forbidden to work or volunteer in any capacity involving financial duties. She also is banned from opening any new lines of credit without prior approval from federal probation officers.

Bob Coleman, past president of the Belle Point association, told the Times-Union after the sentencing that he was satisfied with Ray's sentence.

But her betrayal still rankles him and other homeowners in the group.

"I think of all the times she sat there smiling in our faces while she was robbing us behind our backs. We had 100 percent trust in her. That's what still gets me. It hurts," said Coleman, who headed the fledgling association when it hired Ray as its manager.

His wife, Sherry Coleman, discovered and reported the fraud when she reviewed the finances after being voted the association's treasurer.

The homeowners were taken in by Ray's smooth professional demeanor and her impressive-sounding resume, Bob Coleman said.

"We were just getting the association off the ground and we didn't know what to look for in a manager. She came along and seemed to be the answer to our prayers," he said.

Although Ray has never expressed remorse or apologized publicly for her theft, the group has been vindicated, Bob Coleman said.

"We wanted our money back [in restitution] ... But the main thing was, preventing her from doing this again to someone else. Legally, we wanted it so that she wouldn't be in that kind of position again," Bob Coleman said.

On July 10, Ray pleaded guilty to two counts of federal access device fraud in the case. In exchange, government prosecutors agreed not to oppose leniency in the case.

At that time, Ray admitted bilking the Laurel Grove association out of $15,421 from May, 2006, through January, 2007. Ray also acknowledged defrauding the Belle Point association of a then estimated $3,000 from April, 2006, through October, 2006.

Her lawyer, Donnie Dixon, who is a former U.S. attorney, told the judge Tuesday that Ray already has submitted the restitution owed Belle Point.

Ray previously also paid $15,421 in restitution to Laurel Grove, FBI Special Agent Tony Alig told the Times-Union after the sentencing.

The FBI investigation revealed that Ray illegally used the associations' bank accounts and debit cards. She used automatic teller machines as far away as Massachusetts to get cash for herself. In addition, Ray wrote checks to herself and her business. She also shopped on the Internet using the associations' money, the investigation showed.

"She mainly bought clothes for herself with the associations' money," Alig said.

Glynn woman admits fraud

HOA ARTICLES