Members of the fraud ring that embezzled a Davis couple of $1.5 million received prison sentences on Friday.
Richard John Morrissey received a three-year sentence after pleading no contest to elderly abuse. Jennifer Haskell was sentenced to 16 months in prison after pleading no contest to felony grand theft.
Marlo Compton, who Morrissey credits as the “ring leader” of the scam, was sentenced to four years in prison after pleading no contest to elder abuse.
Morrissey, 42, along with ex-wife Haskell, 37, and accomplice Compton, 42, stole the life savings of Morrisey’s 75-year-old parents over a five-year period.
Morrissey and Haskell were still married at the start of the conspiracy and met Compton at a Davis church in 2004.
“She gave them a sob story and weaseled her way into the family,” said Lead Detective Mike Munoz to the Davis Enterprise.
In 2005, Morrissey went to Malaysia to do missionary work. During their son’s absence, Morrissey’s parents financially supported Haskell, who deposited money in an account she and Compton could access.
Morrissey returned to the U.S. in 2007 and divorced Haskell, who allegedly left the fraud ring. Morrissey and Compton moved to Kalamazoo, Mich., where they continually requested financial assistance for costs such as graduate school education, medical needs and living expenses.
“We do know that eventually Compton talked [Morrissey’s parents] into paying for the house she lives in in Kalamazoo,” said Sgt. Paul Doroshov of the Davis police department to the Kalamazoo Gazette. Compton and Morrissey bought the $467,000 home in February 2009.
Compton also bought a $40,000 BMW after telling the parents she needed a car to transport their son around, Doroshov said.
In an interview with the Davis Enterprise, Morrissey admitted to being physically and emotionally abused by Compton while in Kalamazoo. He separated from Compton in fall 2009 and moved to San Bruno, Calif.
A four-month investigation followed after Morrissey’s parents contacted the Davis authorities of the alleged fraud. The three conspirators were arrested in May.
SARAHNI PECSON can be reached at city@theaggie.org.
