OKLAHOMA CITY, May 7 (UPI) -- An Oklahoma woman has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for defrauding would-be parents, adoption agencies and law firms.
Shelly Renee Henson, 40 of Oklahoma City was convicted of posing as an expectant mother who wanted to place her baby up for adoption, the U.S. attorney's office said in an April 26 release posted on its website.
Henson was indicted last August on 18 counts of mail fraud, wire fraud, and misuse of a Social security number, and pleaded guilty to mail fraud in January.
Authorities alleged she defrauded at least five adoption agencies and adoption law firms, as well as prospective adoptive parents in Florida, Kansas, and Oklahoma.
Throughout the course of her scam, Henson received near $50,000 for rent, utilities and other personal items from would-be adoptive parents, prosecutors said.
U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot in Oklahoma City ordered Henson to pay restitution of $49,361.47 to her victims. She is to be on three years of supervised release was she is freed from prison.
