NASHUA – As long as she makes financial restitution to a credit union, stays away from Bob’s stores and continues her mental health treatment, Nashua resident Kristina MacKenzie will avoid jail time in her 2015 check-fraud case.

Superior Court Judge Jacalyn Colburn, who presided over MacKenzie’s plea and sentencing hearing Monday, also took the fairly unusual step of cutting in half the probation time MacKenzie agreed to serve as part of the agreement she reached with prosecutors.

According to the agreement, MacKenzie pleaded guilty to one count of receiving stolen property, initially a felony charge that was reduced to a Class A misdemeanor, in exchange for 12 months in jail, all suspended for two years.

Two other charges – one felony count of theft and a misdemeanor appeal – were dropped as part of the agreement.

The charges against MacKenzie stem from a 2015 arrest in which she was charged with unlawfully receiving between $500-$1,000 by cashing checks belonging to another person.

The transactions occurred between March 5 and April 13, 2015, according to the charges.

Attorney Liza Mone, one of two public defenders who represented MacKenzie, told Colburn that her client has been making significant progress in overcoming mental health issues she’s been dealing with.

MacKenzie also agreed to make restitution in the amount of $1,230 to a local credit union, a process that Mone said is already underway.

As for MacKenzie’s probation, Colburn said she was reluctant to impose the two-year term, telling the parties that in her experience, longer probation periods can do more harm than good in some cases.

“I have concerns over having her on probation for two years,” Colburn said. “I feel one year is adequate.”

Dean Shalhoup can be reached at 594-1256, dshalhoup@nashuatelegraph.com or @Telegraph_DeanS.

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