BELMONT COUNTY, Ohio — A Belmont County woman previously sentenced for keeping pets in poor conditions is facing new and serious allegations — this time involving financial crimes.
Prosecutors say 73-year-old Cheryl Howells-Goodwin defrauded developmentally disabled individuals, allegedly stealing more than $300,000 from clients of Paramount Support Services.
Howells-Goodwin appeared in court Monday, where attorneys for both sides told Judge Chris Berhalter they need more time to work out a potential plea deal.
Howells-Goodwin entered a plea and was sentenced in August 2023 for an animal hoarding/neglect case. She pleaded no contest to five counts of animal neglect and received five years of probation. The concurrent jail terms (60 days on each count) were suspended.
Her current case remains under review as prosecutors continue to assess the full scope of the alleged fraud and consider a potential plea deal.
