MADISON COUNTY — An Illinois woman convicted of falsely claiming she and her son had cancer saw her sentence increased a second time after she failed to show up to begin her prison sentence.

Melissa D. Barton was sentenced in July to 18 months in prison after pleading guilty to two counts of felony theft by deception.

Public Defender John Rekowski contended the sentence was too harsh and asked the judge to reconsider.

Madison County Judge Kyle Napp noted Barton knowingly accepted money from several people over a long period of time. Napp added giving Barton probation would “deprecate the seriousness of the crime.”

So, instead of decreasing the sentence, Napp increased it to a two-year sentence.

Barton was scheduled to turn herself in Thursday to begin serving her two-year sentence but failed to show up.

Napp then issued a warrant for her arrest. The judge did reconsider the sentence and gave her an extra six months in prison.