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Huntsville Woman Sentenced For Adoption Fraud

BENTONVILLE (KFSM) — A Huntsville woman who defrauded a couple who wanted to adopt her unborn child was given jail time, 10 years probation and ordered to...
Meryann Lomae

BENTONVILLE (KFSM) — A Huntsville woman who defrauded a couple who wanted to adopt her unborn child was given jail time, 10 years probation and ordered to pay about $13,000 in restitution.

Meryann Lomae, 34, pleaded guilty Tuesday (Nov. 6) in Benton County Circuit Court to defrauding a prospective adoptive parent.

Judge Robin Green sentenced Lomae to 120 days in the county jail with credit for three days served. Lomae must pay about $13,000 she accepted during the course of her pregnancy.

In January 2017, Lomae and the baby’s father agreed to place the child up for adoption, and the couple agreed to provide Lomae with a monthly stipend of roughly $1,475, according to court documents.

Lomae, however, began demanding more money each month than her budget allotted, according to court documents.

A ledger of adoption support payments throughout the pregnancy show Lomae received more than $1,000 for utilities, car insurance, food and gas in addition to her monthly stipend.

Lomae was arrested in November 2017, roughly five months after she gave birth to the child and stopped corresponding with the couple.

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