WAILUKU - A 41-year-old Kihei woman who forged a check and tried to cash it was sentenced to five years' probation, with credit for the 71 days she already had spent in jail.
Second Circuit Judge Joel August followed a plea agreement in handing down the sentence to Michelle Police on Friday.
He said Police is also expected to complete a residential substance-abuse treatment program at Aloha House, as well as any necessary follow-up care.
August said it looks like Police is making a good start at improving her life.
Police said she knows she does not make good choices when she is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
She said she didn't realize that if she had succeeded in cashing the forged check, it could have hurt the person whose name she was forging by interfering with the victim's ability to pay a mortgage or credit card bills.
Police said she plans to enroll in Maui Community College's culinary program, is working toward reuniting with her daughters through the family court system and is taking care of some traffic court matters as well.
"I'm trying to clear up the wreckage in my past," she said.
Police pleaded no contest to second-degree forgery and attempted second-degree theft for an incident on July 11, 2008.
She tried to cash a $1,927 check on an American Savings Bank account, records show.
