TOLEDO, Ohio — Lisa Titkemeier, the Toledo woman who faked a cancer diagnosis to raise more than $25,000 from members of the community, arrived at the Lucas County Courthouse at 11 a.m. on Friday to begin serving a six-month jail sentence.
On Thursday, Lucas County Common Pleas Court Judge Lori Olender originally ordered her to be taken into custody immediately, but then granted a defense request for her to be allowed to spend the night at home. Olender warned her that she was to report to the courthouse security office by noon, "not a minute later."
Titkemeier will serve her sentence at the Corrections Center of Northwest Ohio. It is part of the three years of community control ordered by Olender. She will also have to perform 200 hours of community service and pay $25,158.54 in restitution.
The sentencing arrived after a June 13 guilty plea to one fourth-degree felony count of theft.
During the sentencing hearing, Titkemeier's attorney argued for a lighter sentence, stating she was not a threat to the public and cited her efforts to get mental health treatment.
"Lisa accepts full responsibility for what has happened here," her defense argued and petitioned the judge for a sentencing of community control.
Titkemeier then read a letter to the court. She was emotional, expressing remorse and citing mental health issues as a reason for her actions.
"I first want to sincerely apologize from the bottom of my heart for my past actions," she said. "I know I am unable to change the past."
Olender said she had received more letters from victims in this case than she possibly ever had.
"The circumstances of this offense... don't show the perfect loving mother (Titkemeier claims to be)," Olender said. She then scolded her, saying Titkemeier's children's lives would be forever harmed by her actions.
In 2020 and 2021, Titkemeier became a public face of fundraising efforts for the families of Anthony Dia and Brandon Stalker. Both Toledo officers were killed in the line of duty.
After the sentencing, several people expressed relief that Titkemeier will spend time in jail, including Dee Lynn, who worked with Lisa on the Dia and Stalker benefits.
"I wasn't happy leading up to the sentence, with the lies still being told and her not owning up to it, but I am thankful that the judge could see through that," Lynn said. "You had your children do something good for fallen officers, and then you ruined it. No one else."