NOTTINGHAM, MD—A Nottingham woman was sentenced to 20 years in prison, with all but five years suspended, after pleading guilty to running a multiyear Ponzi scheme that defrauded numerous homeowners associations of nearly $600,000, prosecutors announced.
Sarah Chester, 44, entered guilty pleas in Harford County Circuit Court to one count of a theft scheme over $100,000, one count of forgery of private documents, and one count of embezzlement. Harford County Circuit Court Judge Paul W. Ishak ordered Chester into immediate custody following the hearing to begin serving her five-year unsuspended term, which will be followed by five years of probation.
The court left the final restitution order open for 30 days to allow prosecutors time to verify contact information and exact loss amounts for the affected communities…