LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A Fayette County Circuit judge rejected a plea agreement Tuesday for a woman charged with stealing more than $30,000 from former University of Kentucky women's basketball coach Kyra Elzy.
Marjorie Gonzalez appeared in court hoping Circuit Judge Lucy VanMeter would accept a new plea deal that would have sentenced her to five years in prison. With credit for time served, Gonzalez could have been released.
But VanMeter rejected the agreement, saying it would be "fair and reasonable" for the commonwealth to present the case to a jury. The judge reminded Gonzalez that when she was allowed to withdraw her original guilty plea last year, she was told the case would go to trial and that the court was not required to accept another plea.
Gonzalez is charged with theft. She is accused of stealing from Elzy when she worked as the coach's personal assistant. The alleged thefts included clothing and other items that Elzy says were captured on home security video. Most of the money was taken from a foundation established for underprivileged children, according to Elzy.
Last summer, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to theft charges and was sentenced to eight years in prison. She later withdrew that plea, saying she wanted to go to trial. As the June 2026 trial date approached, she again sought a plea agreement.
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Marjorie Gonzalez heads to trial after judge rejects plea deal in theft case
The new deal, negotiated between Gonzalez's attorney and the special prosecutor, drew opposition from Elzy, who wants the case to proceed to trial.
"I'm sorry we have to go to work every day and make money and be productive citizens of the world," Elzy said outside court. "We don't get to go into people's homes and steal their credit cards and steal from their bank accounts and just get to walk around."
Special Prosecutor Jason Hiltz said the proposed sentence was "in line with similarly situated cases in this court." Defense attorney Ed Cooley argued his client was "trying to acknowledge her guilt" and "resolve the case in a fair, reasonable manner."
While out on bond in this case, Gonzalez was arrested twice more on theft charges. She pleaded guilty to shoplifting at Macy's and using a Red Mile customer's credit card for Botox treatments, receiving probation in both cases.
The trial is scheduled for June 15.
