A worker at an assisted living facility in Montgomery County, Maryland, has been charged with numerous counts of theft following an investigation into her history of selling expensive jewelry.
Maritza Ramirez, 57, had worked at Marian Assisted Living, in Brookeville, for 14 years, according to police.
Montgomery County police said in a statement that Ramirez recently became the focus of an investigation after family members of a Marian resident claimed that multiple items of jewelry and a cellphone had gone missing from the resident’s secured bedroom.
The resident was not there at the time because they were recovering from surgery.
According to police, investigators found evidence when they searched Ramirez’s home in Germantown.
“Further investigation revealed that Ramirez had an extensive pawn history dating back to 2015, including fine jewelry such as wedding bands, diamond rings, gold pendants and gold necklaces,” police said.
Items pawned by Ramirez from September 2015 through April of this year included four wedding bands; 28 rings consisting of wedding, engagement and birth stone rings; 14 gold necklaces; eight pairs of earrings; 13 gold pendants; four gold bracelets, and six purses.
Detectives said they believed additional victims have not contacted the police department, and they urged them to do so.
Police also released the following specific details about certain items pawned by Ramirez:
- A gold bracelet with the inscription “Samantha 6-7-92”
- A diamond ring with inscription “G.L.G to H.C.E. 5-23-83”
- A gold wedding band with inscription “S.C.D. and M.A.K. 12-27-54”
- A gold wedding band with inscription “F.J.F. to C.M.D.”
- A gold baby ring with inscription “M.L.P.-J.A.G. 11-2-18”