Missouri authorities warn Palm Desert woman to stop selling houses

A Riverside County judge affirmed the terms of a 2015 plea deal Wednesday that stated Theresa Darrah, a woman convicted of burglary and grand theft, cannot engage in any kind of sales. The hearing Wednesday was requested by Darrah’s public defender, who wanted to clarify the terms of Darrah’s probation, to potentially give her a green light to sell houses in Missouri.

However, the hearing also revealed that Darrah received a letter from the State of Missouri, Dept. of Corrections Board of Probation and Parole, in St. Charles, dated the end of August 2017. The letter essentially stated that Darrah (now Stacey) had to stop selling houses, as that was a violation of her probation terms.

Deputy District Attorney Heather Ferris and Darrah’s public defender Naomi Coady went back and forth for about 30 minutes during the hearing. They argued about a term in Darrah’s plea agreement: That she could not engage in “any sales, promotion or advertising, directly or indirectly.”

According to Ferris, that was interpreted to mean Darrah cannot engage in any sort of sales or promotions at all.

Coady argued that she interpreted this as meaning that she could still engage in sales…just not in advertising i.e. selling ads or tabletop ads, which was the source of her original crimes. Coady argued “(Darrah) would not even be able to sell a stick of gum at a gas station” if she was banned from all sales. Coady argued Darrah should be allowed to sell real estate in Missouri, where she has already obtained a real estate license.

Ferris argued that by selling real estate, she is engaging in “selling and promotion.” She mentioned CBS Local 2’s Brooke Beare’s investigation on Darrah, where she changed her name and called herself a “marketing professional” on Facebook (Linkedin). The deputy DA mentioned this would create many issues with her being a real estate agent, in that Darrah, now known as Reese Stacey, would have to sell and advertise property.

Judge James Hawkins said when he was there for the original agreement, he saw the agreement as being where Darrah could not engage in conduct where she could de-fraud a consumer. He upheld the probation board’s decision to tell Darrah that she could not engage in any sales. However, Hawkins said the probation board in Missouri could choose whether or not they agree with Riverside County probation, to let Darrah sell houses. Both attorneys mentioned the probation board in Missouri followed the ruling of Riverside County. Coady said she may bring that up in Missouri court.

Darrah was not present in court. Coady said she was on vacation.

Coady did not return calls for comment, and officials in Missouri were not immediately available to respond.

Numerous individuals have contacted CBS Local 2’s Brooke Beare from Missouri, claiming a woman named Reese Stacey approached them “trying to sell (them) on Open Houses that she would guarantee 300-500 people in attendance– Very convincing asking for $1250 down and another $1250 at completion.”

Victims of the tabletop ad scheme in the Coachella Valley have also claimed they have not been paid restitution from Darrah, which was ordered by the court.

Darrah was booked on five felony counts of first-degree residential burglary, 18 counts of felony second-degree burglary, possession of a drivers license or ID with the intent to commit forgery, 18 counts of grand theft and misdemeanor petty theft.

She took a deal in May 2015, pleading guilty to felony burglary and grand theft, and was sentenced to five years of formal probation.

Ferris said Darrah’s probation terms were amended in early 2017 to reflect another victim in her 2015 case. She was ordered to pay that additional victim $1,700.