Canandaigua woman accused of faking breast cancer appears in court

Posted at: 09/27/2012 8:05 AM | Updated at: 09/27/2012 6:47 PM
By: Amanda Ciavarri | WHEC.com

The Canandaigua woman accused of faking cancer earlier this year was in court Thursday.

Melissa Jones was in court for the judge to decide if statements she made to law enforcement could be used at her trial.

The judge decided that statements Jones made to three different police officers and a social work are allowed to be presented to the jury at trial.

Thirty-year-old Jones faces 16 charges ranging from grand larceny to criminal possession of a forged instrument and scheme to defraud. Police say Jones said she had cancer and held number of fundraisers in New York and Massachusetts to raise money.

The investigation started after police were told people thought she might be faking the cancer. Police spoke to Jones a number of times asking for proof she had cancer and they say Jones refused multiple times.

Ontario County District Attorney Michael Tantillo says it is an important part of his case for the jury to hear what Jones said during those exchanges.

The District Attorney says there are about 200 victims in this case who donated a total of about $30,000 to Jones.

 A trial date was also set today for January 7.

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