LEAVENWORTH, Kan. — A 51-year-old Leavenworth woman was sentenced to two days in jail Wednesday for stealing the wallet of a defense attorney representing a friend of hers during the friend’s jury trial.
According to Todd, Thompson, Leavenworth County District Attorney, the friend, John Baskas Jr., was on trial for selling marijuana and assaulting a law enforcement officer.
Thompson says Theresa Quest, 51, came to the trial to support Baskas.
During a recess in the 3-day jury trial, Baskas’ attorney, Michael Mogenson noticed his wallet was missing from his brief case.
Mogenson’s visa card was used to buy gas from the local Casey’s Gas Station and roughly $350 worth of merchandise from the local K-Mart.
After Leavenworth police officers watched video of these transactions and then used the camera in the court room to watch Ms. Quest reach into her friend’s attorney’s bag and take his wallet at a recess during trial.
Quest pleaded guilty to two counts: theft of the wallet and contents within the wallet and criminal use of a financial card.
During sentencing, Judge Gunnar Sundby said that typically the crime would merit probation, since Quest had no criminal history.
However, he included a 48-hour sentence to jail because the theft occurred in his court room during a trial.
