March 5, 2012 - A Criminal Complaint lodged against the Powers Family

This is a complain Rayelan asked me to write for the District Attorney.  The date it was written, and draft sent to Rayelan, was March 5, 2012.  I believe this one was printed and sent but since Rayelan said she would do that herself I do not know if it happened. 

Criminal Complaint – for embezzlement, fraud, elder abuse, and grand theft.

District Attorney, Ashtabula, Ohio,

Raye Smith, age 63, is the widow of Major David Kooker. As a widow, she has a small income from her deceased husband and earns a few hundred dollars a year selling jewelry she makes and books. These are the funds on which she lives. She is a former teacher with a BA and teaching credential from California.

Additionally, Raye is the owner/operator of an online website which is educational in nature. The website has been in operation for sixteen years and has a large and faithful following but generates no effective income. Raye is also an ordained priest in the Church of Antioch, a faith association of Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Numerous people work with Raye as volunteers on the site and its projects.

Ms. Smith was persuaded to relocate to Ohio by a woman she knew as Anna Leigh Powers, who goes by several different names in late 2010 for the purpose of carrying out their largest project on which she had been working for several years.

The project was to establish a retreat for members of her church as a conference center for educational and spiritual purposes. Anna Leigh's daughter, Angela Kay Lee, had been assisting with the website, which Raye runs, for several years and introduced her mother to Raye.

The project in question began three years ago. Other the intervening years Raye found herself doing small fundraisers to pay, first to put a down payment on the land, then to pay for needed improvements and other ongoing expenses. Over the last three years supporters have contributed over $100,000. One individual donated $16,000. Raye, herself, contributed her entire retirement savings.

The land was placed in Angela Lee’s name because Raye was told this was the only way the land could be developed. Ownership was to be transferred to the church, which would be started in Ohio. At the time there was no plan for Ms. Smith to relocate to Ohio.

In late 2009 Anna Leigh Powers, pleading homelessness and medical problems, persuaded Raye to allow her to live with her. Powers moved into Raye's home in Watsonville, California and began a campaign to persuade Ms. Smith to sell her home and relocate to Ohio.

Raye, a trusting woman, did not think to question Power's motives and, in fact, lacked relevant information on Power's background. Ms. Smith supported Powers while she was living with her, providing shelter, food, clothing and entertainment. Powers had no income of her own as far as Raye knew. Powers, who claimed to have medical problems, did not help with housework, which was performed by Ms. Smith's housekeeper. Powers did offer to help with bookkeeping and prepared two tax returns for Mrs. Kooker, 2009 and 2010. Later, these had to be redone. A significant number of records went missing, later found secreted in Powers former room in Mrs. Kooker's rented house located in Ashtabula.

Power's name at birth was Donna Jean Bartac. Raye has since learned Powers has used several other names these are: Anna Lee Powers, Donna Jean Beckelheimer, Anna Leigh Powers, and Anna Lee. She also goes by Onalee. We have found indications she may also be using other names as well.

She and her family have been using the Social Security numbers of the minor children of the family to obtain credit for at least 15 years, since the oldest grand-daughter of Donna Jean was seven years of age, according to the girl herself, who discovered this when connecting electric service in her own name using her Social Security Number. The grandmother, Donna Jean, blamed her daughter, Angela Lee, Angela blamed her mother.

No one in the family, with the exception of Brittany Lee, one of the two daughters of Angela Lee, holds a regular job.

According to records found on the Internet Powers has been evicted numerous times. She admits having 'worked' for elderly people who she claims, left her valuable jewelry and other items, still in her possession.

Powers' behavior underwent a dramatic and significant change after she, her son, Scott and grand-daughter, Amanda, had Raye on the road, with her possessions, heading to Ohio. While living with Ms. Smith at her home in California Powers was anxious to be friendly and helpful and appeared to be grateful for the many favors done for her.

At soon as they were on the road Raye began immediately to be very unwell, experiencing (symptoms). Showing no concern for Raye Powers' behavior became abusive and critical. Her utterances became ugly, threatening, and larded with demands for money.

Upon arriving in Ohio with an RV, the demands from Powers and her family began to increase. Ms. Smith found herself supporting six people, Powers, her two children, both of Angela's children, who are both illegitimate, and the illegitimate child of Amanda, the eldest Powers grandchild.

Seeing the land her fundraising had purchased for the first time, Ms. Smith realized Angela was incapable of handling any project herself. Angela had either intentionally withheld information or intentionally lied about the facility on the property and what was needed to make it work as the center promised to their donors. DATES

DATES Ms. Smith's health continued to fail and the family refused to help her seek medical care.

In the home Ms. Smith rented in Ashtabula, at 525 Bunker Hill Road, Ms. Smith found her self forced to use as a bedroom the downstairs room off the kitchen. She had been left, sick with an attack of Meniere's Disease, in her RV on the property, located (address) while Powers, her two grand-daughters, her great-grandchild, and Scott Beckelheimer moved into the house.

The house had only one bathroom, located on the second floor. Ms. Smith was unable to climb the stairs due to Meniere's Disease, from which she suffers when subjected to undue stress. Despite please for assistance, no one helped her or offered to get her food or clean when she was completely incapacitated. These circumstances lasted from the time she moved in, October 2010, until she began to recover in May.

During this time Ms. Smith's Jeep Grand Cherokee was never available for her use as it was being used by Powers family members who left it badly in need of repairs. In an attempt to ensure she had transportation Mrs. Kooker, by now, badly traumatized and unable to sleep, purchased a car to be used by Scott and had the car used by Angel's youngest daughter, Brittany, repaired at a cost of $1,500. But still, her own car was never available to her making it difficult for her to seek medical help.

Alarmed, Ms. Smith's friends in several parts of the country began to ask questions.

One of her friends came out from Montana to install toilets on the first floor and basement. These were jobs Scott had been paid to do. He disappeared while the friends were on site. Other jobs Raye paid him to do were either partially finished or never begun despite continuing and mounting demands for more money.

Scott demanded Ms. Smith pay his court ordered child support for him. When she refused to do so Ms. Smith began to notice a pattern of behavior from Scott. (list of incidents)

As she recovered Ms. Smith began to notice many of her valuable possessions were missing. The Powers clan claimed no knowledge of their whereabouts.

Items missing which Scott admitted 'borrowing' and promised to return are on the list below. A demand letter was sent, registered mail, to Scott. No response was received.

Finally able to see the direction events were taking Raye confided in friends who arranged an intervention.

Powers Family Members

Anna Leigh Powers

Born Donna Jean Bartac.

Powers married James Lee, becoming Donna Lee. Her daughter, then twelve, changed her name to Lee and later used the name for her two children, Amanda and Brittany, who use the last name of Lee.

Thomas Scott Lee, born Beckelheimer.

Now 44 years of age.

Has fathered at least five children, none of whom he is supporting

Angela Kay Lee

Now 42 years of age.

Amanda – Father unknown

Jade – Father unknown

Brittany – Father known, mother never married to father.

Brittany is the only family member who is working regularly. Is plagued by demands for money from her sister, mother, uncle and grandmother.