A Michigan judge on Wednesday ordered a Beal City woman to spend 19 months to five years in prison for stalking a minor.
Judge Mark Duthie’s Mt. Pleasant courtroom was filled with victims and their families when he sentenced Kendra Gail Licari to prison rather than jail and probation in connection with her “catfishing” her own daughter and another teen.
Licari, 42, cried when she told the judge she was sorry for the pain, hurt and confusion her actions over a several month period caused the victims, including a teen who she tried to blame for the scheme, her daughter, and her husband.
Licari was accused of catfishing – creating a fake online persona through electronic messages – her daughter and one of her daughter’s friends, sending what Duthie called disturbing and hateful messages.
She pleaded guilty in March to two counts of stalking a minor; in exchange, Isabella County Prosecutor David Barberi dropped three additional charges – one count of obstruction and two counts of using a computer to commit a crime.
When handing down the sentence, Duthie told Licari that he empathized with her because she sought counseling for mental health issues, but her actions were abhorrent.
“This is a truly horrible case,” Duthie said. “It’s the kind of case that makes me glad that at the end of my term, I’m retiring.”
Duthie spoke of the anonymity of the internet and how it has allowed some people to do things they would not if they were known.
“Sometimes, you see the worst in human nature,” Duthie said.
While Licari had been a productive member of society with no criminal history, her actions in taunting her daughter and another teen were either her worst self of her true self, Duthie said, adding that she isn’t the first person he’s seen use the internet to conceal identity to hurt others.
Because of the nature and content of the messages Licari sent, and the harm they caused the victims, Duthie said it was not a single lapse of judgement but a well-thought out scheme that at one point involved Licari trying to convince law enforcement that the messages were sent by one of the victims.
“I can’t think of anything worse than being falsely accused,” Duthie said. “It’s beyond the pale.
“You’ve earned a prison sentence.”
Duthie commended Licari for entering into a plea agreement so the victims wouldn’t have to go through a trial, but also noted that if convicted by a jury on the original charges, she would have served her sentences consecutively rather than at the same time.
Duthie also spoke of the harm Licari caused not only the victims but Beal City Schools and the community.
Neither Duthie nor Barberi aired the contents of the messages in court, Duthie said the content included “obnoxious” doctored photographs and hate.
“I can’t imagine any parent saying such horrible things to her own daughter,” he said.
Barberi also weighed in, telling Duthie that a parents’ job is to care for and nurture their children and that Licari failed at that, and used her education and background to try to frame a minor for the crime.
Licari’s actions also impacted others, causing fractures in relationships, Barberi said.
“It’s probably one of the most bizarre cases I’ve seen,” Barberi said.
While speaking to the judge, Licari said she would take it back if she could, and that she is ashamed, remorseful and embarrassed.
One of Licari’s defense attorneys, David Kramer, told Duthie his client began counseling Aug. 22 of her own accord, and has taken parenting classes.
Telling the judge Licari is “extremely remorseful,” Kramer said a psychiatric examination determined she suffers from mental illness.Kramer asked Duthie to delay Licari’s sentence so she can continue counseling, but she was taken into custody following the sentencing.
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