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Jan. 27--GRAHAM -- A Mebane woman who tried to pass for a Hurricane Katrina evacuee to receive assistance was sentenced to 22 to 28 months in prison for a series of charges.
Paula Sabbatino, 37, formerly of Stratford Drive, pleaded guilty Thursday afternoon to obtaining property by false pretenses, larceny, two counts of attempting to obtain a controlled substance by fraud or forgery and three counts of probation violation.
On September 27, Sabbatino went to the local Red Cross office and said she was a hurricane victim from Louisiana. When staffers were suspicious of her story and denied her assistance, Sabbatino took seven vouchers from a desk and ran outside. Sabbatino then forged an employee's signature on a voucher that was worth $1,250. The agency gives vouchers to hurricane evacuees who have migrated to Alamance County. Vendors accept them like checks. On two other occasions, Sabattino also attempted to get prescriptions for hydrocodone and Xanax from two different pharmacies.
As part of her sentence, the judge also ordered Sabbatino to receive substance abuse treatment.
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