A Gaston County woman whose “disappearance” at North Myrtle Beach last summer touched off a three-day Coast Guard and police search has been sentenced to at least nine years in prison after a conviction on a number of charges.
Amy Robinson, 43, pleaded guilty Tuesday in a Mecklenburg County courtroom to identity theft, being a habitual felon, and other offenses.
Judge Yvonne Mims Evans sentenced Robinson to between nine years and 11 years 10 months in prison.
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Robinson was due in court last July in Mecklenburg County on identity theft and other charges, but she was reported missing July 5 by her husband, Paul David Arrington. He told authorities that he saw his wife on the beach and then could not find her after leaving and returning a few minutes later.
Under the theory that Amy Robinson might have entered the water and drowned, the Coast Guard and other emergency organizations began searching for her. After a few days, authorities said they were convinced that the woman had not drowned and was not missing.
Amy Robinson turned herself in to Mecklenburg County authorities a few days later, and Paul David Arrington was charged by South Carolina authorities in connection with the missing-person report.
In court Tuesday, Amy Robinson pleaded guilty to identity theft, forgery, uttering a forged instrument, five counts of obtaining property by false pretense, and being a habitual felon.
She had been scheduled for trial Nov. 3, but court officials said Robinson indicated this week that she would plead guilty.
According to prosecutors,. Robinson befriended the identity theft victim in summer 2012. The friend loaned Robinson money but eventually told the suspect that she would not give her any more money. Prosecutors alleged that Robinson then forged one of the victim’s checks and cashed it for $500. Robinson also was accused of paying credit card and utility bills and making purchases on Amazon.com, using bank information of the friend.
Thousands of dollars were spent in those transactions, prosecutors said.
Court records show Robinson had previous convictions for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and multiple counts of obtaining property by false pretenses.
