Indiana woman sentenced to federal prison in online romance scam

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — United States Attorney Zachary A. Cunha announced today that a woman who defrauded a 96-year-old Coventry widower of nearly $80,000 has been sentenced to federal prison.

Brittany Rakia Shawnai Lasley, 34, of Indiana pleaded guilty to a judge that she created a fake profile on a dating site and lured a widowed man into providing her with money and his personal information.

The victim wrote a statement for the sentencing hearing stating that he “was in shock and disbelief. It took me a few days to comprehend what had happened. I was embarrassed, horrified, and distressed about my financial situation, fearing that I could lose the house I had lived in since 1970.”

“This defendant preyed on a vulnerable, elderly Rhode Islander, dangling the promise of love and companionship in an attempt to help herself to her victim’s hard-earned savings,” U.S. Attorney Cunha commented. “With this sentence, it is Ms. Lasley who will deservedly pay the price for her appalling conduct.  I commend the exceptional work of this team of law enforcement professionals- state, federal, and local, for bringing this defendant to justice,” he added.

Lasley pleaded guilty to a charge of wire fraud back in September. She was sentenced on Wednesday to 36 months in federal prison followed by three years of federal supervised release, which will include the first six months of the following sentence to be served in a residential reentry facility.