East Moline man admits to financially exploiting his grandma

An East Moline man admitted in court Thursday that he financially exploited his grandmother.

Christian M. Lannan, 19, entered his guilty plea during a hearing before Rock Island County Judge Norma Kauzlarich.

Financial exploitation of an elderly person is a Class 2 felony, punishable by a possible prison term of three to seven years. Prosecutors, however, agreed to cap the maximum possible sentence at three years as part of a plea agreement. Additionally, four felony charges of forgery will be dismissed as part of the agreement.

According to East Moline police, Mr. Lannan allegedly wrote more than $10,000 in fraudulent checks by forging the signature of his 74-year-old grandmother and cashing the checks in his name.

Police said they were notified by bank officials in February about a suspicious person cashing checks and determined Mr. Lannan had taken the checks from his grandmother and was  cashing them for "large amounts of money."

The financial exploitation charge alleged Mr. Lannan "knowingly and illegally" used assets or resources of his grandmother, with whom he held a "position of trust."

Mr. Lannan was held Thursday at the Rock Island County Jail on a $75,000 bond and is due to be sentenced June 9.

Full Article & Source:
East Moline man admits to financially exploiting his grandma