Font ResizeHer mother-in-law, Pamela Lambert, lived modestly in a home in Bloomfield valued at $115,000, which her father had paid off years ago, according to San Juan County Assessor's Office records.
Bloomfield police say Lefebre-Lambert was unemployed and her husband worked as a welder. They paid their $2,000 monthly rent payments "as prompt as could be" because Lefebre-Lambert was allegedly stealing her mother-in-law's life savings until Lambert had less than $500 in her bank account, according to court documents.
Lefebre-Lambert, 53, was arrested Aug. 1 and charged with 111 felonies, but detectives still are investigating the case and said additional charges may be pending against her or other people involved in the theft.
Bloomfield Police Det. Chad Herrera said police believe she stole as much as $70,000 from December 2011 to June. She allegedly took control of Lambert's bank accounts, altered the statements with whiteout and put the statements in Lambert's mailbox.
Then Lefebre-Lambert allegedly used the money to go on vacations, buy jewelry, rent an expensive home, buy a tanning booth and pay bills, according to court documents.
She appeared briefly in magistrate court on Thursday to waive her preliminary hearing and her case is headed to district court.
She's being
"My client maintains her innocence and we will be entering a plea of not guilty at arraignment," said Arlon Stoker, Lefebre-Lambert's attorney. "I am certain once we get through the evidence we'll be able to reach a resolution that will do justice to both parties."
On Monday, Durango police added to Lefebre-Lambert's growing list of charges.
She was charged with two counts of identity theft for using her mother-in-laws credit card to rack up more than $600 in hotel bills in May and June, said Durango police Det. Joe Farmer.
She will have to settle her New Mexico charges before she is prosecuted in Colorado, he said.
She is facing 52 counts of identity theft and 49 counts of unlawful withdrawal from a financial institution and other charges.
Lambert, the mother-in-law, hired an attorney to protect her few remaining assets.
"I'm here to help keep her in her home," said Kristin Harrington, Lambert's attorney.
Harrington said in 2010, Lefebre-Lambert persuaded her mother-in-law to sign the property rights of her home over to Lefebre-Lambert's daughter.
Lambert trusted her daughter-in-law and signed the documents. She is now trying to take back the contract to keep her home, Harrington said.
Noticeably absent from the case so far are Lefebre-Lambert's husband, Rick Lambert, and their daughter and son. Neither one was charged with a crime and their names don't appear often in court documents and it's unclear if they played a role in the alleged crimes.
Money from Lambert was used to pay Lefebre-Lambert's daughter's cell phone bills and the entire family lived in the Foothill's property.
When Bloomfield police started investigating the case, Lefebre-Lambert sent her daughter text messages saying the pair were going to kick Lambert out of her home because she reported the missing money to police, according to court documents.
Lambert is currently living in the Bloomfield home.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Dustin O'Brien said the state plans to prosecute all the 111 charges or use the high volume of felonies during plea agreement negotiations.
Crimes committed against family members often bring out tense emotions and feelings on both sides of the prosecution. O'Brien said he did not know what Lambert would like to see happen to her family members as the case unfolds.
Paying restitution to the victim is the priority and prosecutors would be willing to negotiate a deal with Lefebre-Lambert is she pays the money back, O'Brien said.
But it's uncertain if it would possible for Lefebre-Lambert to give any of the money back. Much of the money has been spent, police said.
"Oftentimes if (the suspect) is willing to pay the family member back or make an effort to pay the family member the family members don't want us to seek jail time," O'Brien said. "If they take someone's life savings it's the only appropriate thing in my opinion."
