ROCKVILLE, Md. — A Montgomery County caregiver has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing from her elderly patients.
Maritza Ramirez, 57, of Germantown, pleaded guilty in November 2022 to financial exploitation of vulnerable adults in a scheme.
Between 2015 and 2022, Ramirez stole at least 81 items, including jewelry and designer purses, from 11 victims. The belongings were sold to various pawn shops in Montgomery County and she received $7,700 according to records.
Montgomery County police started their investigation into the Marian Assisted Living employee in March 2022. A family of a woman she was taking care of at the facility found that while their loved one underwent surgery, jewelry and a cellphone disappeared from her bedroom.
“Maritza Ramirez was entrusted with the care of vulnerable adults and violated that trust when she stole their possessions and used the items for her personal financial gain," said Lauren DeMarco, spokesperson for the State's Attorney's Office.
Ramirez worked 14 years at Marian Assisted Living in the Brookeville area.
Judge Robert Greenberg sentenced Ramirez to five years of supervised probation upon her release and also ordered her to pay $7,700 in restitution to the families of the victims she stole from.
"It's a violation of heirlooms that were given to my mother by my father-in-law, and they were Irish and they were really significant to her and us," said Mary Gallagher about the rings stolen from her late mother-in-law. Gallagher says Ramirez took advantage of the isolation due to the pandemic to continue with her scheme, and that she would offer hand massages to her patients to get ahold of the jewelry.
Gallagher says that among the items she stole, was a Claddagh ring that her father-in-law had gifted his wife. She says her 89-year-old mother-in-law was even more vulnerable because she had Alzheimer's.
Jeanette Stecher's 94-year-old mother still lives in the assisted living facility and says she has not been able to tell her mother that the person she trusted and that she continues to pray for, was the one that took her prized possession.
"My mother continually asks for her rings, and she feels like she lost them. So, we have to lie to her, because if we tell her that the people around her are not taking care of her. She'll want to leave," said Stecher.
Families say they were stunned to find out during Ramirez's sentencing that she was still working in care facilities up until her final day in court.
"We were astounded to learn that she was still working in this capacity when she had charges pending. She didn't have a conviction until right now, but she certainly has a conviction on her record at this point," said DeMarco.
She says that if Ramirez were to attempt to be caregiver upon her release, it would be a violation of her parole and she would be subjected for additional jail time.
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