Ursa Majoris Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 That's one scam that failed SAN JOSE, California (Reuters) - A California court sentenced a couple to nine years in prison on Wednesday for planting a severed human finger in a bowl of chili to swindle a Wendy's fast food restaurant. A judge in Santa Clara Superior Court sentenced Anna Ayala and her husband, Jaime Plascencia, to nine years imprisonment for their role in the Wendy's scam, which caused a sharp fall in sales at the third-largest U.S. burger chain. The husband was given another three years and four months for not paying support for the five children he has with another woman in an unrelated case, giving him a total sentence of 12 years, four months behind bars. Both received near the maximum possible punishment in their cases. "I am truly sorry. I owe Wendy's and its employees an apology," a sobbing Ayala told the court. "Wendy's had always been my family's favorite fast food restaurant." She called her actions "a moment of poor judgment," and told her family: "For all the shame I brought upon them I am sorry, I am so sorry." Ayala, 39, who had been a Las Vegas resident, had initially claimed that she discovered the finger after buying the bowl of chili last March. She hired a lawyer and complained publicly about the experience, attracting wide attention to the seemingly bizarre incident. Investigators later determined Plascencia obtained the piece of finger from a co-worker who had lost the top of a finger in an industrial accident at a Las Vegas paving company. The man had turned over the finger fragment to settle a $50 debt. "I am extremely remorseful," said Plascencia, 43, who, like his wife, wore prison garb to the hearing at which television cameras were permitted. Wendy's International, based in Dublin, Ohio, paid a $100,000 reward for information to help establish the source of the severed finger. Company officials said it took Wendy's months to recover from the bad publicity and lost millions of dollars in sales because of the incident. At one point it gave away free ice cream to try to lure customers back into its San Jose area restaurants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Savage Beatings Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 I am glad that they did not go easy on this couple. But I have to say, I was pretty surprised to see them each get 9 years in prison. Wow! I'm willing to bet that there are rapists and child molesters out there that do less time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big F'n Dave Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Nine years?!?!? Ouch!!! Shoulda just cut off her finger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Azazello1313 Posted January 18, 2006 Share Posted January 18, 2006 Investigators later determined Plascencia obtained the piece of finger from a co-worker who had lost the top of a finger in an industrial accident at a Las Vegas paving company. The man had turned over the finger fragment to settle a $50 debt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KICK A$$ BLASTER Posted January 19, 2006 Share Posted January 19, 2006 I went to law school with the lawyer that this lady hired in Vegas...He was a bit shady to say the least..... Glad to see she will be spending some quality time behind bars... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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