A Texas woman is facing felony charges for a VHS rental two decades overdue. According to a report by ABC 7 Chicago, Caron McBride rented a copy of Sabrina the Teenage Witch in Oklahoma 21 years ago and never got around to returning it. She has just found out that she is wanted for felony embezzlement of rented property in the state.
McBride said she was contacted by the Cleveland County District Attorney’s Office this week and informed of her massive charge. “The first thing she told me was felony embezzlement, so I thought I was gonna have a heart attack,” she confessed. Documents show that McBride was first charged with embezzlement in March of 2000, but she was never notified. The only reason she found out now is that she was trying to change her name on her license after recently getting married.
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“They told me that I had an issue in Oklahoma and this was the reference number for me to call this number and I did,” McBride explained. “Meanwhile, I’m a wanted felon for a VHS tape.” McBride apparently rented the tape at an establishment called Movie Place in Norman, Oklahoma, which closed down in 2008. She believes she remembers the incident, though not why it was never returned.
“I had lived with a young man; this was over 20 years ago. He had two kids — daughters that were 8, 10, or 11 years old, and I’m thinking he went and got it and didn’t take it back or something,” McBride said. “I don’t know; I have never watched that show in my entire life, just not my cup of tea.”
Local lawyer Ed Blau told reporters that Cleveland County could technically still prosecute the case and bring these enormous charges against McBride. However, the DA’s office announced on Wednesday that it would be dismissing the case. Blau noted that McBride’s record will still be blemished unless the DA expunges the case altogether.
“I mean, I didn’t try to deceive anyone over Samantha [sic] the Teenage Witch. I swear,” McBride said. She also said that she has been let go from several jobs over the last 20 years without explanation, and now she believes this criminal charge is the reason.
“This is why. Because when they ran my criminal background check, all they’re seeing is those two words: felony embezzlement,” she said.
