MOHAVE VALLEY — Punishment leniency was deliberately crafted into a plea agreement designed to speed restitution return to an elderly Mohave Valley man who was wiped out of his home-stashed life savings nearly four years ago. The hard of hearing 85-year-old victim has appeared at various criminal proceedings involving two of the three defendants.
Jesi Huckaby, 29, Oregon, pleaded guilty to theft during a Jan. 28 hearing in Kingman.
The other two defendants are Huckaby’s husband Cody, 36, Oregon, and Breanna Millett, 44, Bullhead City. Millett pleaded guilty last fall and was sentenced to prison for three years last December.
Deputy Mohave County attorney James Schoppmann said he is pursuing extradition to return Mr. Huckaby to Arizona from Oregon, where he is serving time in federal prison for drug offenses that occurred after the Arizona rip off.
Schoppmann said Millett was familiar with the victim, had visited his residence in the 8100 block of Smoketree Lane and was aware he had a safe and kept cash and valuables in his home. He said Millett and the Huckaby’s hatched a plan to lure the victim away from his home and that Millett and Mr. Huckaby entered the residence on May 19, 2022.
Schoppmann said they accessed a safe in the home and walked away with about $200,000 worth of cash and jewelry. He said some of the proceeds were used to purchase an expensive truck and a trailer and that much of the money was gambled away.
Defense attorney Bruce Griffen said Mrs. Huckaby has cleansed herself of drug involvement and is a much improved and better person than when addiction ran her life years ago.
“I’ve really worked hard these past few years to be the person I am today and not the person I was,” she said. “I’m going to work very hard to pay back the victim.”
Her case is resolved with a theft conviction, along with quite rare no probation, no prison, no jail results.
The $15,000 bond posted to secure Mrs. Huckaby’s release is forfeited and the cash should quickly be transferred to the victim. He reportedly is also accepting the forfeited truck and trailer toward additional restitution payment.
