Larceny charges dropped against Salem housekeeper

SALEM – A charge of larceny against a Salem housekeeper was dismissed this week after a Superior Court determined that the commonwealth presented insufficient evidence to establish probable cause before a grand jury.Maria Altagracia Espinosa, 54, of 93 Rainbow Ter., Salem, stood charged with larceny of more than $250 from a person over 60 in connection with a scam in which she and Peggy Sanchez, of Peabody, allegedly bilked an elderly Marblehead man out of thousands of dollars.In Salem Superior Court Tuesday afternoon a preliminary trial hearing was held before Judge David A. Lowy in which attorneys for both women tried to have the case against their clients dismissed.Espinosa?s defense lawyer Jon C. Taylor argued that the charge against his client should be dismissed because the commonwealth presented insufficient evidence against his client to establish probable cause to the grand jury to believe she committed the charged offense.Taylor said his client worked for the 76-year-old victim, who lived on Marblehead Neck, cleaning his home during a three-month period for $7,500 from March 1, 2006 and June 1, 2006.At no time during that span did Espinosa take not even a “dust rag” from his home and performed the specific house cleaning responsibility she was hired to do, Taylor contended.Then, when police searched Espinosa?s home, nothing was found to suggest the slightest implication in a criminal endeavor, Taylor said, maintaining the charge should be dismissed against his client.Lowy agreed, dismissing the charge against her.But Assistant District Attorney Kristen R. Buxton has indicated she might re-indict Espinosa on another theory.Sanchez? Attorney Michael McDonald attacked the search warrant to her home and sought dismissal of all charges against her, but that has not yet been decided by Lowy.Buxton, maintains that Sanchez, 32, of Peabody, worked for the Marblehead bachelor as health aide and allegedly stole over $50,000 in cash from his bank accounts and charged over $4,500 in unauthorized purchases of shoes and other items on credit cards he had given to her to be used for household expenses.She also convinced the elderly man to make a $20,000 down payment on a BMW sport utility vehicle by saying she would use it to drive him around.Sanchez initially was hired to work in his Marblehead Neck home through a home health agency, but apparently became so close to the elderly man that the agency felt concerns and fired her.But then she convinced the man to hire her directly at a salary of $840 weekly, authorities say.It was when Sanchez put a down payment deposit on a home in her name that police began their investigation.The home transaction was never completed.When police searched Sanchez?s home at 6 Ray St., in Peabody, they reportedly found four boxes of shoes from Aldo, a store at the Northshore Mall that Sanchez frequented.Her shopping sprees reportedly included Ann Taylor stores on a regular basis and Pottery Barn, according to credit card records.She also is accused of dealing invaluable family heirlooms from the Marblehead Neck home, including oriental rugs and statues along with silver and jewelry.Sanchez, who has pleaded not guilty to all charges against her, remains free on $2,000 cash bail pending the outcome of her case.Her next scheduled court date is March 6 for a trial assignment.