STEUBEN COUNTY, NY (WENY) -- A Steuben County grand jury has indicted a woman from Erie County, New York accusing her of falsifying documents and fraudulently entering into a surrogacy agreement.
Sixty-six year old MaryBeth Lewis of Elma, New York was arrested after a sealed indictment was handed up by the grand jury. According to District Attorney Brooks Baker, Lewis entered into a fraudulent contract with a woman from Steuben County, who was to serve as a surrogate. The woman became pregnant with two children using donor egg and sperm, with no biological connection to Lewis or her husband.
Baker says Lewis filed false documents and created false exhibits for the court, including sworn affidavits and financial reports, as well as provided forged notaries and signatures on documents, in an effort to have the court rule that the surrogacy agreement was valid. According to Baker, Lewis' husband was not aware of the surrogacy, and his signature had been forged on documents.
The surrogate gave birth to two children; when the judge overseeing the agreement discovered the fraudulent documents and refused to grant custody to Lewis, Baker said she allegedly went to the hospital and tried to take the infants.
Lewis was arraigned in Steuben County court on 30 counts; she was released on her own recognizance and is scheduled to appear back in court in February. The judge also issued orders of protection for the babies.
Baker tells WENY News the Steuben County Child Protective Services and Department of Social Services are involved, and the two infants are in good care and healthy.
Lewis' charges are listed below:
- Attempted Kidnapping in the Second Degree (2 counts)
- Forgery in the Second Degree (6 counts)
- Tampering with Physical Evidence (5 counts)
- Falsifying Business Records in the First Degree (4 counts)
- Offering a False Instrument for Filing (3 counts)
- Tampering with Public Records in the First Degree (3 counts)
- Attempted Tampering with Public Records in the First Degree (1 count)
- Perjury in the Second Degree (4 counts)
- Criminal Impersonation in the Second Degree (1 count)
- Identity Theft in the First Degree (1 count)