Former social worker pleads not guilty to theft
Published 10:55 pm Friday, May 30, 2008
ARLINGTON — A former state social worker accused of faking a life-threatening disease was led away in handcuffs on Friday.
Sandra Martinez, 40, pleaded not guilty to first-degree theft Friday in Snohomish County Superior Court. Prosecutors allege that Martinez received about $21,000 in paid leave after she lied about having brain tumors and faked letters from phony doctors.
Martinez was a social worker at the State Department of Social and Health Services office in Smokey Point. Her co-workers even donated their extra sick days to help her, prosecutors wrote.
A judge ordered her held on $2,500 bail. Snohomish County deputy prosecutor Jennifer Millett also asked the judge to prohibit Martinez from leaving Washington.
Martinez is living in Texas and prosecutors have information that she may be committing a similar scam there, Millett said.
DSHS hired Martinez in 2006. About five months later, she told her employer doctors had found tumors in her brain, court records said. She allegedly submitted letters indicating that her health was compromised and she needed to take time off to combat the disease, prosecutors wrote.
One letter stated that Martinez had slipped into a coma and may only have six months to live. A letter dated four days later indicated she was able to work full time but she needed to leave early on Fridays to undergo chemotherapy, according to court documents.
Prosecutors believe Martinez never had brain cancer and instead faked letters from phony doctors to get paid sick leave, work half-days and land certain duties in the department.
Authorities were alerted to the scheme when Martinez’s neighbor turned over a letter that appeared to come from a doctor, but investigators are convinced was forged. Martinez had come over to use the woman’s computer and left a letter on the woman’s printer, prosecutors wrote.
Investigators spoke with authorities at the UW Medical Center. They reported that none of the doctors or medical professionals who allegedly wrote and signed the letters that DSHS received ever worked at the center.
Reporter Diana Hefley: 425-339-3463 or hefley@heraldnet.com.
