A woman known as a “serial wedding crasher” has been released on bond after her most recent arrest for allegedly posing as a guest and stealing from a Mississippi ceremony.
According to USA Today, Sandra Lynn Henson, 57, was charged with theft, unlawful entry, and disrupting the peace for an incident on September 30 at Lily Creek Farm in Belden. The incident happened reportedly after Henson had already crashed numerous other weddings.
Despite being on probation for similar past crimes in Mississippi, a judge allowed Henson to leave jail after paying a $650 fine. She’s scheduled to appear in court next year during a follow-up for the most current crimes.
Henson was allegedly caught red-handed during the latest stint, which she was not invited to, by people attending the wedding.
“It’s unfair,” Lexi Butler, the 22-year-old bride said, after Henson crashed her wedding. “She has robbed so many people of precious time, memories, and gifts, but she never has to own up to her wrongdoing. I can’t believe no one is taking this seriously.”
Henson is accused of attending various weddings across at least three states over six years, stealing valuables from guests. At the ceremonies, Henson would reportedly move from table to table while slipping cash, credit cards, and other items from women’s purses while the wedding guests were distracted.
Henson allegedly made off with tens of thousands of dollars in gifts, money, and property by blending in and stealing from the wedding-goers, police said.
“It’s extremely frustrating,” Tyler Melton, a sergeant with the Florence Police Department, told USA Today. “I’m surprised she hasn’t caught a beat down from an angry bridesmaid because that’s how it goes down here in the South.”
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ABC4 reports that Henson was arrested in 2017 for stealing at a wedding and convicted after security footage captured her in action. She was placed on probation but continued to crash weddings, including stealing from guests at an Alabama wedding.
Over a dozen people have contacted police about Henson, including guests from other weddings in Mississippi and Tennessee. After the Alabama incident, Henson allegedly, on the same day, went to another wedding and stole $350 in cash from the newlyweds.
“The bride said she let her guests know any cash they got was to go toward a special needs child,” Melton said after of the victims that had money stolen, allegedly by Henson. “(It) is almost as bad as going to a funeral and stealing from people.”
Henson's lawyer asked for leniency because of her health problems..judge said if she was healthy enough to go to a wedding and steal she is healthy enough to go to jail pic.twitter.com/LFDhqdsbT0
— Jennifer Diprizio (@JeniDiprizio) June 8, 2021
In June 2021, a judge in Marshall County, Mississippi, convicted Henson of grand larceny and burglary. In court, she begged for leniency, with her lawyer arguing that her health was declining.
The judge reportedly said that if Melton “was healthy enough to go to a wedding and steal, she was healthy enough to go to prison.”
Henson wasn’t due for release with the Mississippi Department of Corrections until 2025 but gained freedom early and continued to crash weddings.
Now, victims are pushing for answers and accountability after unsuspecting people were hurt by Henson’s actions.
“She was out on probation when she hit my wedding, so the mess-up should have sent her right back to prison,” Butler said.
“Yet, here she is with another small fine, which is why she continues to do it. If she is never going to get in trouble, I don’t see why she would feel the need to stop.”
Henson is scheduled to return to court on May 8 for the latest case. Check back for updates.
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[Feature Photo: Sandra Henson/Florence PD]
