JOPLIN, Mo. — A Joplin woman, charged with stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from an elderly blind woman, pleads guilty to the crime.

Tuesday morning in a Jasper County courtroom, Tammy Tripp, 51, pleaded guilty to financial exploitation of an elderly disabled person. Immediately following the guilty plea, Judge David Mouton sentenced Tripp to 13 years in prison.

Tammy Tripp, 51

Tripp admitted to taking more than $700,000 from a blind elderly woman by creating a power of attorney and using a rubber stamp with the woman’s signature to make cash withdrawals. Tripp used the money to buy a $93,000 for her daughter, as well as other purchases.

When the victim’s family tried to intervene, Tripp moved her twice to try and keep things hidden.