FOSTER CITY (Map, News) - A Foster City mother previously convicted of child theft is now facing up to eight years in prison after prosecutors say she duped court clerks and tricked police into helping her kidnap her 10-year-old son.

Unemployed preschool teacher Cynthia May Wood, 49, was in court Wednesday to set a hearing date for March 26, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe.

Wood’s arrest by Foster City police March 4 at the home she shares with her boyfriend was the result of a long investigation by the San Mateo County District Attorney’s Office, Wagstaffe said.

The case began August of last year, when Wood allegedly visited the court clerk’s office and checked out the file containing a judge’s 2003 ruling to grant custody of her son to the boy’s paternal grandmother. Prosecutors say Wood altered the order to appear that she was granted custody.

Three months later, Wood allegedly returned to the clerk’s office and received certified copies of the forged order, Wagstaffe said. In December, Wood brought the copies to police in Roseville, where the grandmother was allowing the boy’s father to raise him. Roseville police examined the order and failed to determine it was a fraud. Officers pulled the boy out of school and allowed him to return to San Mateo County with his mother, according to prosecutors.

“The chutzpah to go to the police with a forged document to have a child pulled out of school is shocking,” Wagstaffe said.

After the boy’s father filed a complaint, a Foster City police detective and District Attorney’s Office investigator confronted Wood about the alleged child theft, Wagstaffe said. Wood allegedly confessed that she had altered the order but insisted the judge had authorized her to make the change.

“Caught in her lie, she just makes up a new lie,” Wagstaffe said. “She didn’t think it out that well.”

Wood faces 11 felony charges, including child stealing, violation of a court order, and multiple counts related to the alleged forgery. She pleaded not guilty the day after she was arrested.

It is not the first time she has been in trouble, Wagstaffe said. In 2000, a judge sentenced Wood to 30 days in jail for misdemeanor child theft. Wood pleaded no contest to the misdemeanor in a plea deal that reduced the original charge from a felony.

Wood’s court-appointed attorney Scott Newbould said he is still becoming familiar with the case, but that Wood has maintained her innocence.

“She’s denied any wrongdoing and that’s supported by statements from different family members,” Newbould said.

Woods remains in jail on $250,000 bail.

tbarak@examiner.com

Comments from Examiner Readers

12:51 AM MST on Wed., Apr. 9, 2008 re: "Ex-officer offered deal in alleged scam case"

Examiner Reader said:
What about the people sitting in prison now that might be innocent?

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4:35 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 8, 2008 re: "Ex-officer offered deal in alleged scam case"

Rachel Hernandez said:
One thing about dishonest people. They are eventually caught. In this case, the corrupt cop was discovered along with his criminal friends. What do they say? Birds of a feather flock together. Criminals hang out with criminals... they are easy to spot.

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8:16 AM MST on Mon., Apr. 7, 2008 re: "Woman going to prison for embezzling $1.4 million"

Examiner Reader said:
I wonder if all that stuff from her shopping sprees and whatnot was really worth it to her now? I don't think she can take it with her to Federal Prison. And who the heck is going to hire this woman once she is released? How on earth is she ever going to pay back the money plus restitution? It's amazing what some people think they can get away with. I think that someone (perhaps a generous designer) should donate the most hideous garb they can possibly come up with and she should be required to wear the clothing/outfits the entire time she is in prison.

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12:29 PM MST on Tue., Apr. 1, 2008 re: "Woman going to prison for embezzling $1.4 million"

Examiner Reader said:
Sorry Sister, Louis Vuitton does not make prison garb. What a skank!

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5:22 PM MST on Mon., Mar. 3, 2008 re: "Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy"

Examiner Reader said:
You cannot turn in a criminal if you set up your sting and say I'm calling you out. What a farce! If you think he did something wrong, you go through the proper channels. If anyone with an ounce of common sense believes that, I have a bridge for sale too. Yee, Mak, Gruel, Jew should all share the same jail cell.

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1:07 PM MST on Mon., Feb. 25, 2008 re: "Run over girlfriend, get two-year term"

Examiner Reader said:
My son gets stabbed thru the heart in ssf his attacker gets 13 months my son will never be the same , This person got more time.Must of had a horrible lawyer .The lawyer should of taken the judge golfing she would of ended up with a few hours behind bars.There is no justice in San Mateo

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5:56 PM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy"

Examiner Reader said:
Lawyers don't commit the crimes - criminals commit the crimes. Without criminals there would be no lawyers.

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5:35 PM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy"

Examiner Reader said:
Our parents used to suggest to their children to "be a lawyer." Everyone we knew was saying the same thing. Now, I took an informal poll the other day and asked if sentiments were the same for our children and grandchildren. "NO!" was the answer. Interesting, isn't it? The sleazy have overwhelmed the occupation so much that nobody has any respect for them any more. They're viewed as liars and troublemakers out for ego and money.

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5:17 PM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy"

Examiner Reader said:
Yee tuned in a criminal to the authorities - why blame him? Why not blame the criminal? Ed Jew commited the crimes, not Yee. Jew's gonna look real cute in that orange jumpsuit.

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5:12 PM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy"

Examiner Reader said:
Jew's attorney is grasping at straws. No one made Jew take the dirty money except Jew himself, (and maybe his greedy wife). Gruel was brought in to clean up his mess, and now he's trying to blame the guy who helped him the most. First Fazio, then Gruel. Next he'll turn on Hanlon because he refuses to accept responsibility for his crimes.

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5:11 PM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy"

Barton said:
wow, and to think i trusted yee and mak to be standup folks. no more.

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3:59 PM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy"

Seven said:
I don't put anything past Yee and Mak. We don't need or want Chinatown corruption in the sleepy Sunset. At least Carmen Chu seems uncorrupted. Chu is exactly what District 4 needed to heal from the Jew mess. It's one of the few things I thank Newsom for doing.

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1:43 PM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy"

Examiner Reader said:
To blame everyone but yourself is the American way. That's why Ledger died because it is the fault of the industry. That's why we can all do bad things. It is not our fault, it is someone else.

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11:23 AM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy"

Examiner Reader said:
justice is seeing mak, yee, gruel (who should be de-barred) trade their clothes for prison clothes. mak you lost the supe race...get OVER it! yee and gruel...payback is going to be a bxxch for you both!

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10:13 AM MST on Wed., Feb. 20, 2008 re: "Lawyer says Ed Jew victim of conspiracy"

Examiner Reader said:
Why does Ed Jew blame everyone else but himself?

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6:43 AM MST on Thu., Feb. 7, 2008 re: "City is stuck with bill for legal fees"

L. Amiot said:
Justice must be sought at any and all costs. Justice is not abitrary, but is based on facts and rules of law. If it costs tax money to get justice for Sgt. John V. Young, and the rest of us in San Francisco, consider that a good investment in the safety of our city. Why would anyone complain that it costs money to prosecute murderers?

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5:20 AM MST on Thu., Feb. 7, 2008 re: "City is stuck with bill for legal fees"

Examiner Reader said:
This was one of the worst crimes in SF history. It was simply a cold blooded murder of a good police sergeant. It was premeditated in that the perpetrators were going to kill anyone who was there. I've always thought that it was related to the ambush of Officer Richard Radetich which occured around the same time. That stated, there must be a trial and the defendants must have attorneys so pay their attorneys and get on with it. The "conflict of interest" aspect interests me: are some innocent?

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8:07 AM MST on Wed., Nov. 28, 2007 re: "Mistrial declared in 18-year-old cold case"

Examiner Reader said:
Hope you have kids you don't watch after. Go drop them off in the neighborhood, let's see what happens.

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6:09 PM MST on Tue., Nov. 27, 2007 re: "Mistrial declared in 18-year-old cold case"

Examiner Reader said:
Nice to know that Kiddies can get away with Murder and victims families won't get any justice. Justice??? WHAT'S THAT?????

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