Ex-Kent City Councilman Sharp’s mother dies; she was victim of son’s cash thefts

The mother of former Kent City Councilman Ken Sharp died on Sunday. Sharp pleaded guilty earlier this year to stealing $297,500 from his mother’s bank accounts.

Sharp is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 22 on seven counts of first-degree theft and one count of mortgage fraud. The length of his prison sentence is contingent on the amount of restitution he can come up with and pays to the King County Clerk’s Office.

Despite the death of Helen Sharp, 95, Ken Sharp still must pay the restitution, said Page Ulrey, King County senior deputy prosecuting attorney, who is handling the theft case and specializes in elder abuse crimes.

“He (Sharp) is still required to pay the restitution,” Ulrey said in an email. “The restitution goes to the heirs of the victim, if the victim dies at any point before it is paid in full. Washington has a statute that says that someone who has committed financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult may not inherit from that vulnerable adult.

“So presumably, that will be the case here. That means that the restitution would be owed in full to the remaining heirs. The money will go to the estate of Helen Sharp.”

A judge in October continued Sharp’s sentencing date to give him more time to pay but ordered him to pay $500 per month in restitution to his mother through the county clerk’s office. Prosecutors will notify the county clerk that the payment shall now be made payable to Helen Sharp’s estate, Ulrey said.

If Ken Sharp pays less than $100,000, the state will recommend the sentence remain at 43 months, according to court records. If he pays more than $100,000 but less than $200,000 the state will move to dismiss one theft charge and recommend a sentence of 29 months. If he pays more than $200,000, the state will move to dismiss two theft charges and recommend a sentence of 22 months.

Sharp, 67, who remains out of custody, pleaded guilty in June to stealing $297,500 from his then 93-year-old mother’s bank accounts. He is trying to sell his Minuteman Press business in Kent to raise money for paying restitution.

Helen Sharp was living in a Medicaid facility and out of money, Ulrey said at an October court hearing. Sharp died at a facility in Sandy, Oregon.

Federal Way Police arrested Sharp in June 2013 but he stayed in his first race for City Council and voters elected him over Bailey Stober in a close November 2013 contest. Relatives of Ken Sharp tipped off police about the thefts. His mother lived in Federal Way at the time of the thefts.

Sharp reportedly used the money to help out his financially struggling business as well as to pay for trips to Spain, Mexico, South Africa, Palm Springs, Calif., Austin, Texas and Friday Harbor; and to buy jewelry (with debits to a jewelry store in Tacoma of $10,000 and $2,358), according to charging papers.

He resigned in January after only two weeks in office because of what he said were “pending legal issues I fear will become too distracting for my fellow council members, for the mayor and for city staff.”