Judge Patricia Oney set Andres’ bond at $135,000, which is the amount of restitution she would owe if found guilty. Her arraignment was continued until May 19, when she will get a court-appointed attorney.
Andres was arrested last week at a gambling casino in Columbus, according to Butler County Prosecutor Michael Gmoser.
Gmoser said Andres set up shop as a freelance travel agent and took money from people with the promise of booking trips but did not follow through. The cash in some cases was used for trips to gambling boats, he said.
Andres is charged with eight counts of theft from an elderly person or disabled adult, 20 counts of theft, seven counts of petty theft, two counts of grand theft, one count of misuse of a credit card and one count of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity.
In addition to that charge, Andres is also facing a first-degree misdemeanor for taking $425 to reserve rooms in a Lexington, Ky., hotel, but failing to book the rooms, according to Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell.
A victim told police Andres told her she could book vacations at a discounted rate because she belonged to a Disney Vacation Club timeshare, according to the Mason police report.
After paying Andres $14,305.80 for her family’s Thanksgiving trip to Disney’s Wilderness Lodge that included a deluxe dining plan, park hopper passes and airfare, Kristina Martinez learned on the way to the airport there were no reservations.
A trial for Andres has been scheduled for June 23 in Warren County.
Andres also pleaded guilty in January to four counts of forgery, fifth-degree felonies, in Butler County Common Pleas Court for forging signatures to withdraw $1,600.20 from her disabled sister’s Social Security benefits account, according to court documents.
Oney placed Andres on five years community control for the forgery charges.
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