Today the Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office arraigned Bobbi Ann Finley, 37, on charges of Theft in the Second Degree. Nicknamed the “military mistress,” Finley is alleged to have been married at least 14 times and drained bank accounts of numerous military service personnel in 14 states.

“Ms. Finley has been a prolific and remorseless con artist,” said Pierce County Prosecutor Mark Lindquist, “but now the jig is up.”

In May of 2009, the defendant befriended the victim. Claiming to be a United States Marine who had just returned from Iraq, she said she could not get a bank to cash her out-of-state checks. She convinced the victim to cash the checks and give her the money. The defendant wrote several checks, totaling more than $2400. All of the deposited checks were returned because they were written on closed or non-sufficient fund accounts. After the checks were returned, the victim called the Pierce County Sheriff’s Department and reported the crime. In most of her cons, Finley either preyed upon military service members or claimed to be one.

The Pierce County Prosecutor’s Office filed charges and a warrant was issued when the defendant failed to appear for her initial arraignment in January, 2011. Finley apparently fled the area and in February, 2011, an Alabama court sentenced Finley to three years in prison after she pleaded guilty to a felony charge of theft by deception. Once she served that sentence, she was extradited to Pierce County to face the theft charge.

The defendant was arraigned today in Pierce County Superior Court and bail set at $200,000. Charges are only allegations and a person is presumed innocent unless he or she is proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.