Woman sentenced to seven years for 2010 theft from Advance, Mo., couple

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- A Stoddard County woman arrested for stealing about $10,000 from an elderly Advance, Mo., couple in 2010 will soon be serving a prison sentence.

Leslie Markham, also known as Leslie Sappington, violated her probation in April and has since been awaiting the hearing to determine whether she would be sent to prison.

In the recent hearing, her probation was officially revoked and she was given a seven-year sentence.

Sappington will serve a 120-day shock incarceration, and if she remains out of trouble by its completion, she will not be required to serve the rest of her sentence. Another violation would mean she would serve the remainder of the seven years.

The sentence is ordered to run concurrently with sentences from Cape Girardeau County and from Scott County.

She will be transferred to an institutional treatment center as of Aug. 29.

Former Stoddard County prosecuting attorney Briney Welborn stated previously that the reason Sappington was sentenced to probation to begin with, as opposed to prison, was because the couple from whom the money was taken was in need of their money, and going to prison greatly decreased the chance of getting it.

Repaying that money, however, was a condition of her freedom.

According to the police incident report, on Jan. 31, 2010, Sappington stole $10,000 from a 77-year-old woman whose husband Sappington was caring for while the elderly woman was away from home. Police said Sappington initially admitting to taking money, but only $2,400 to pay legal fees.

Pertinent address:

Advance, MO