BANGOR, Maine — A local woman who robbed an elderly woman of her medication and placed a pillow over the victim’s face in an effort to subdue her was sentenced Tuesday at the Penobscot Judicial Center to 12 years in prison with all but five suspended.
Donna Dray, 46, of Brewer pleaded guilty last month to one count of robbery in connection with the incident at the 71-year-old woman’s Bangor home in May. In a plea agreement with the Penobscot County district attorney’s office, one count of aggravated assault was dismissed.
District Court Judge Gregory Campbell also sentenced Dray to three years of probation.
“This is a very serious case,” he said shortly before imposing the sentence. “This is an attack on an elderly victim with terminal cancer.”
The victim, who wept as she spoke, said she had allowed the defendant to sleep on her couch when Dray was homeless and had paid Dray to clean house for her. The victim also said that when Dray put the pillow over her face and she tried to push it off, Dray struck her in the temple.
Michael Roberts, deputy district attorney for Penobscot County, said after the sentencing that Dray stole Xanax, an anti-anxiety medication from the septugenarian. He recommended the sentence imposed.
Defense attorney Randy Day of Garland urged Campbell to have Dray serve 2½ rather than five years in prison.
Dray and her family all asked that she receive treatment in prison for drug addiction.
She faced up to 30 years in prison and a fine of up to $50,000 on the Class A crime of robbery.