Sentencing continued for woman accused of bilking donors with fake cancer diagnosis

Flathead County District Judge Heidi Ulbricht pushed off Thursday the sentencing of a Kalispell woman accused of stealing tens of thousands of dollars in donations while posing as a cancer patient.

Amy Elizabeth Glanville, 47, entered an Alford plea to a felony theft charge in August after reaching a deal with prosecutors. In an Alford plea, a defendant maintains their innocence, but acknowledges a jury likely would find them guilty.

Under the terms of the deal, prosecutors were set to recommend she receive a deferred three-year sentence with the fine suspended. Instead of a fine, Glanville would have been directed to pay restitution, capped at $30,000, to donors to her online fundraiser hosted by GoFundMe.

Prosecutors also planned to recommend she continue mental health counseling and complete 75 hours of community service.

Ulbricht, though, expressed hesitation with proceeding with sentencing Dec. 15 after learning that some requests for restitution were omitted from the agreement. Asked if all of the victims were apprised of the details, Deputy County Attorney Andrew Clegg said he had been unable to contact everyone involved.

Although apologizing to the court for failing to do so, he argued that several of the requests seemed to fall outside of the purview of criminal proceedings.

“These larger amounts … are better suited for civil suits,” Clegg said.

Lane Bennett, Glanville’s defense attorney, noted that she would be receiving help in paying the ordered restitution from her parents, hence the cap on the total. Without their aid, he worried that Glanville’s victims would see few dollars return to them.

“If it were up to her alone, it would be pennies on the dollar,” Bennett said, sitting by a silent Glanville’s side at the defendant’s table.

Despite the explanations, Ulbricht opted to push the sentencing to Dec. 22 to give Clegg time to reach all of the victims in the case. They should enjoy the opportunity to testify or at least speak with prosecutors, Ulbricht said.

“I really strongly believe they need to be given an opportunity to participate,” she said.

Glanville allegedly used a fake cancer diagnosis to illicitly raise money, according to court documents. She allegedly solicited donations between 2016 and 2020.

Investigators began looking into her story after leaders of the Easthaven Baptist Church, which helped raise money for Glanville, grew suspicious.

When confronted, Glanville allegedly admitted fabricating the diagnosis. She went so far as to have friends and family take her to phony medical appointments just to sit inside the facilities, court documents said.

She also used several mobile phones to pose as medical providers from across the country to text updates on her treatment to church leaders as part of the scheme, according to court documents.

Through various fundraisers, authorities believe Glanville may have received as much as $60,000, court documents said.

News Editor Derrick Perkins can be reached at 758-4430 or dperkins@dailyinterlake.com.