A Madison Heights couple was sentenced on Monday for credit card fraud in Nelson County.
Bruce Phillips was sentenced to one year in the state penitentiary and 20 years of probation. He must also pay back the $1,167.63 in credit card charges. Phillips was charged with three counts of credit card fraud and credit card theft, which are all felonies.
Mae Fattaleh, 49, was sentenced to 10 years of probation and must pay $526.19 in credit card charges. Fattaleh was charged with one count of credit card fraud and one count of credit card theft.
The couple improperly used a credit card belonging to a 76-year-old Schuyler woman, whom Fattaleh had been taking care of, said Anthony Martin, the commonwealth’s attorney for Nelson County.
Some of the places Phillips used the credit card were Sears and the Bank of America, according to testimony in court.
Phillips’ defense attorney, Tom Berry, told the court Phillips was employed and willing to pay the retribution. Berry said Phillips had even brought half of the amount to the courtroom that morning.
Phillips did not make a comment during the sentencing.
Fattaleh’s defense attorney, Edward Childress, asked the court to consider probation because the Fattaleh has a son in grade school and Fattaleh and Phillips are his only caregivers.
“She’s not only going to have to take care of this boy, but support him too,” Childress said.
He also said the case was an example of a relationship between two people where there was “give and take on both sides.”
Fattaleh said she was “truly sorry” about her involvement in the crime.
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