Teen sentenced for illegal credit card use.

Elecia Bentz

Teen sentenced for illegal credit card use.

#MasonCountyCourtNews

By Allison Scarbrough, Editor.

LUDINGTON — A 17-year-old Ludington woman was sentenced Tuesday, Sept. 5, in 51st Circuit Court to serve 68 days up front of a one-year discretionary jail term with credit for 68 days served for a conviction of illegal use of a financial transaction device, a credit card.

Elecia Judith-Keeley Bentz, of 403 S. Jefferson St., was arrested last February by the Ludington Police Department.

While she was out on bond for the credit card offense, she was arrested for shoplifting, said Mason County Prosecutor Paul Spaniola.

“She has a history of gang affiliation with the Bloods in Grand Rapids,” said Spaniola. She joined the gang when she was 15 or 16 years old, but is no longer affiliated with it, he said.

Bentz appeared to be a “willing participant in the stealing of credit card numbers and the purchase,” the prosecutor said.

Judge Susan K. Sniegowski also sentenced Bentz to two years probation and ordered that she to go back to school and finish her education. “I expect you to be there tomorrow,” the judge said.

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Tags: 51st Circuit Court, circuit court, court news