Phony Cancer Victim Begins Jail Sentence

A former Napa (N. Calif.) police dispatcher who falsely claimed to have cancer in order to collect over $50,000 in donations from individuals and public safety groups yesterday began serving a six-month jail sentence. Danille Vanderpool, 35, appeared in court after pleading guilty to one count of grand theft, in exchange for the district attorney dropping 12 other counts of theft. She could have received a 3-year sentence if convicted on all the counts. Superior Court Judge Francisca Tisher heard statements from several of the victims who had been duped by Vanderpool’s claim of ovarian cancer over the period 2007-2008. At one point Vanderpool took time off for cancer treatments, court documents say, but was actually vacationing in Hawaii. Judge Tisher also sentenced Vanderpool to five years probation, and ordered her to repay the money to the various people and organizations that donated to her. Vanderpool’s attorney said her behavior was driven by a mental illness, not greed. Read more about the sentence hearing here.