A Portland panhandler who threw rocks through the windows of five businesses in the Lloyd District because she said no one was giving her money was sentenced to 20 days in jail and ordered to pay more than $9,000 for the damage.
Marlena Rochelle Neely, 30, told authorities she was homeless, had been asking people for $5 and would shatter a window every time she was refused because she was tired of people not helping her, according to a probable cause affidavit.
According to FoxNews, Neely destroyed the windows of local businesses and residents in May, July, and August of this year, during a crime spree.
On July 10, Neely shattered the windows of numerous businesses in a three-block area of Northeast Grand Avenue and Holladay Street. They included the Citizen Baker cafe at Hotel Eastlund, Red Robin, the Inn at the Convention Center, Action Sport and Denny's restaurant, police said, The Oregonian reported. according to the outlet.
On May 3, police were called to the Palms Motel at 3801 N. Interstate Ave. They found that Neely threw a TV, a cable box and dresser drawers out the window of her motel room. She was ordered to pay $1,100 in damages, according to the outlet.
“I want to be able to leave tonight, have a cigarette, drink a cup of coffee and live my life,” she told Oregon live.
She told Multnomah County Circuit Judge Christopher Marshall that she’d been through drug treatment twice in the past decade, but had lapsed. She also said she hadn’t been taking her mental health medication.
Neely said she’s motivated to find a home and regain custody of her children. She said she has a 13-year-old son who’s living with her mother in California, and 7- and 8-year-old sons living in Oregon’s foster care system.
Because Neely has already served more than 20 days in jail since her arrests, the judge said she’d be released after Wednesday’s hearing.