Monia to represent self on new Scott County charges

BENTON, Mo. -- A man with two attorneys told a Scott County judge he plans to represent himself on three recent felony charges because he has no money to pay a lawyer.

"I can't afford an attorney," Keith Monia told Scott County Circuit Judge David Dolan at his arraignment Thursday on three counts of financial exploitation of the elderly.

Monia, 52, pleaded not guilty to the three counts, which were filed in July.

He faces a total of 15 felony charges in Scott and Cape Girardeau counties.

In April, Scott County prosecutors charged Monia with two counts each of financial exploitation of the elderly and forgery in connection with a case in which he is accused of taking $220,000 from a Scott City couple between September 2010 and June 2011, telling them he was going to invest the money in annuities for them.

Attorney David Mann is representing Monia on those charges, and attorney Jeffrey Dix is defending him in a lawsuit related to a similar case in Cape Girardeau County, but online court records show Monia has no legal representation on his more recent charges.

Earlier this month, a Scott County grand jury indicted Monia on the July charges, which accuse him of using a similar tactic to take about $40,000 from another couple between July 2011 and November 2012.

Also this month, Cape Girardeau County assistant prosecuting attorney Angel Woodruff filed eight felony charges against Monia, including six counts of financial exploitation of the elderly, one count of stealing by deceit and one count of forgery.

All but two of the Cape Girardeau County charges involve allegations Monia kept money he had promised to invest in annuities for people.

In court Thursday, public defender Amy Commean said Monia did not qualify for a public defender on the newest Scott County charges because he posted $75,000 bond at the time of his arrest on the earlier charges.

Dolan turned down Monia's request for a personal recognizance bond and ordered him to appear in court Sept. 12 for trial setting.

He remains in the Scott County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bond.

epriddy@semissourian.com

388-3642

Pertinent address:

Scott County Courthouse, Benton, MO