Veterans home theft suspect receives probation

PERKINS TWP. — Earlier this month, a woman who is accused of stealing money from a resident at the Sandusky-area Ohio Veterans Home pleaded guilty and was sentenced to probation. At a court hearing on June 3, Ebony Lawrence, 40, of Euclid, pleaded guilty to one count of theft from a person in a protected class, a fourth-degree felony. Lawrence pleaded guilty to the single charge in exchange for the dismissal of one count of burglary, a second-degree felony. Erie County Common Pleas Court Judge Tygh Tone sentenced Lawrence the same day to serve one year of probation and is additionally required to pay a monthly supervision fee of $10 starting next month, according to court records. Background The investigation into Lawrence first began on March 31, 2025, when an officer with the Ohio Veterans Home police department responded to the building after receiving a call from a nursing supervisor stating that a resident was missing $1,000 from his wallet, according to an Ohio Veterans Home police report. Once the officer arrived, a member of the nursing staff informed the police that she had allegedly observed Lawrence, a nursing assistant, going through another coworker's bag and that a resident also accused Lawrence of stealing money from him, the report states. The resident reportedly told the officer that the day before, a few nursing assistants had helped him get out of bed so he could go to dinner. Once he learned what was being served, he decided to order a pizza instead. When he looked in his wallet for the money to pay for his pizza, he discovered it was missing. He then told the officer that he believed Lawrence was the person who took his money, the report states. During an interview, a police officer asked Lawrence for permission to search her bag and vehicle, which she agreed to and signed a consent form. While searching, police allegedly found $1,050 in the center console of her vehicle. The officer told her the money wouldn't be released until she proved it was hers. Lawrence then allegedly cried and admitted to stealing the money, the report states. A request made to the Ohio Department of Veterans Services to verify the status of Lawrence's employment was not answered by deadline.