A 39-year-old South Lake Tahoe woman who was recorded withdrawing $700 from an automatic teller machine with someone else's bank card pleaded guilty Monday to fraudulent use of a debit card.
Diana Drinkard faces up to four years in prison and a $5,000 fine at her sentencing Oct. 12. She is eligible for probation.
According to reports, on April 26, the victim left her ATM card in the Minden Bank of America machine after a withdrawal and drove away. Drinkard allegedly drove up after her and used the still-active card four times to withdraw $700 before it was declined for a fifth try.
"Did you think good fortune had fallen in your lap that day?" asked District Judge Michael Gibbons.
Drinkard said she regretted her actions.
"There are no excuses I can make for what I did," she said. "I was going through some very hard times. I regret very much I made that decision."
She was recorded making the withdrawals as her two young sons watched.
Drinkard reportedly purchased $43 of gasoline at Cowboy Corners with the card the same day.
She told deputies she tried to use the card two days later at Walmart but was declined, and she threw it away.
She turned herself in after a friend recognized her picture in a Secret Witness story in the newspaper, offering up to $1,000 for her conviction.
Gibbons urged Drinkard to return to court with restitution at sentencing. The victim was reimbursed by the bank, according to reports.
