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MERRILL, Wis. (WSAU) -- The young woman from Merrill that falsely claimed she had cancer and scammed money with collection jars will have to contribute to the cancer fighting efforts herself.
20-year-old Celina Rae Winchell was convicted of theft and obstructing an officer. She had claimed she had stage three lung cancer, when she was not ill. Winchell had placed donation jars at sixteen Merrill area businesses. One of the businesses was about to host a benefit pancake feed.
Lincoln County Judge Jay Tlusty ordered Winchell to write a letter of apology to the community and place it in the local newspaper. She must also serve five days in jail, undergo counseling, and pay $255 restitution to the American Cancer Society. Winchell will also have to perform 50 hours of community service.
Winchell has past misdemeanor convictions related to theft, disorderly conduct, and illegally obtaining a prescription. Her father Edmund was an accomplice, and was sentenced to five days in jail, which has been stayed, meaning he hasn’t had to serve the time yet.