Woman indicted for financial exploitation

Carolyn Clemmons Watson

FLORENCE — Authorities said a Lauderdale County woman already sentenced for theft and elder exploitation has been indicted in a separate case for taking several thousands of dollars from the elderly man she befriended while working at a Florence restaurant.

Reports indicate Carolyn Watson, 42, 858 Royal Ave., Florence, is indicted for financial exploitation of the elderly.

Court officials said the indictment was issued during the January grand jury session. She is scheduled to be arraigned by Lauderdale County Circuit Judge Gil Self, Feb. 27.

Police said Watson is accused of taking $16,000 from a elderly man she met while she was working at a local fast-food restaurant.

She was arrested Oct. 23 after the incident was reported to the Police Department.

Florence police Detective Justin Wright said Watson, while working at the restaurant on Florence Boulevard, befriended an 80-year-old man who is a frequent customer.

"(Watson) told the man several stories about her needing money, and he felt sorry for her," Wright said. "She told him she needed money to pay her bills."

Police said the man tried to help Watson and withdrew more than $16,000 from his bank account and gave the money to her.

"All this happened within a three-week period, beginning in the second week of October," Wright said.

Reports indicate after the man made the withdrawals, bank officials contacted his family, who became suspicious and notified police.

Police said the man suffers from dementia-like symptoms.

In a separate case involving Watson, court officials said she was sentenced in December to 15 years each on two counts of second-degree burglary and 10 years on elder exploitation.

Lauderdale County authorities said Watson was arrested in March 2014 in that case, accused of posing as a health care provider to gain access into homes.

Investigators said Watson was accused of going into homes of elderly residents in Greenhill, Killen and Belmeade, in most cases claiming to be a home health nurse or trying to find a certain address.

Investigators said it was a ploy to get inside the residence and steal medication and purses.

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Woman indicted for financial exploitation