JACKSON – A Nashville, Tenn., resident has pleaded guilty to the exploitation of a vulnerable adult, Attorney General Jim Hood said. On Feb. 19, in Forrest County Circuit Court, 51-year old Valeria Knight, entered an open plea to the charge – throwing herself upon the mercy of the court.
Knight is charged with two counts of felony exploitation of a vulnerable adult, which was also a close family member. While the attorney general’s office would not release all the details about the case, Hood did say Knight was arrested in July 2009 after she was indicted by the Forrest County Grand Jury.
Knight was a resident of Forrest County, Mississippi at the time of the incident.
In court, Knight was ordered to serve 10 years with the Mississippi Department of Corrections, with 10 years suspended with five years post release supervision, Hood said.
Knight was also ordered to pay full restitution of $16,896.10, a fine of $2,500, all courts costs, and a $100 assessment to the Crime Victim’s Compensation fund of the Attorney General’s office.
Knight’s case was investigated by the Vulnerable Adults Unit of the Attorney General’s Office and prosecuted by the unit’s director, Special Assistant Attorney General Treasure Tyson.
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