ESCANABA – A Rock woman pleaded guilty Tuesday to two counts of Medicaid fraud-false claim and as a habitual offender-second offense in Delta County 47th Circuit Court, avoiding a jury trial that was supposed to start that same day.

Nicole Marie Stouffer and her defense attorney, Michael Norman, agreed to the plea with the Office of the Michigan Department of Attorney General. She originally was charged with nine counts of Medicaid fraud-false claim, with each felony count carrying a sentence of up to four years in prison and/or $50,000.

Assistant Attorney General Dennis Pheny agreed to dismiss counts three through nine at time of sentencing in exchange for the plea. The habitual offender-fourth offense notice was also reduced to second offense.

The plea states prosecution agrees to recommend probation and that she receives credit for time already served with no further upfront incarceration.

Stouffer agreed to pay $8,155.47 in restitution.

The charges stem from incidents from November 2021 to August 2022 in Rapid River, when the defendant filed nine different claims for home help services under the provider name Emily Stouffer, all of which were paid, according to court records.

Stouffer was also previously convicted of three other felonies, the first dating back to 2016. She did not plead guilty to the habitual offender-fourth offense notice, however, with the plea agreement to habitual offender-second offense notice.

Judge John B. Economopoulos set Stouffer’s sentencing for Dec. 16.

“The Home Help Program provides essential support to help some of our most vulnerable remain in the comfort of their homes and avoid the need for costly long-term care facilities,” Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel said in a written statement. “My office takes the exploitation of such programs very seriously, and we will continue to hold accountable those who steal from this important safety net.”

The Attorney General’s Health Care Fraud Division handled this case for the department, according to the Michigan Department of Attorney General’s news release.