DEER LODGE — An Anaconda woman
pleaded not guilty in Deer Lodge district court this week to felony
exploitation of an elderly man.
Sherri
Smith, 50, is accused of influencing an 86-year-old Deer Lodge man to
extract at least $6,747 from him between July 2015 and May 2017 while
presenting herself as an unofficial caregiver and friend. She allegedly
worked around the house and spent time with him and tried to force out
his hired caregiver but was rebuffed.
According
to court records, Smith would take the man from the Senior Center to
the bank to get money and then return to the center. Frontier Home
Health service workers allegedly found receipts for cigarettes — the man
doesn’t smoke — and for groceries not in his house.
On
May 24, 2017, Smith allegedly called the man to bail her out of the
Anaconda jail. Even though his eyesight is bad and he stated he should
not drive, he drove to Anaconda to bail her out.
Bank
representatives also reported numerous checks written on his account to
various businesses until the man was allegedly unable to pay his bills,
lost his phone and TV service, and was threatened with foreclosure.
Smith
is free on $7,000 bond pending further court proceedings. If found
guilty, she could be sentenced to up to 10 years in prison and fined up
to $10,000.
Full Article & Source:
Anaconda woman pleads not guilty to bilking elderly man
1 comment:
I hope she didn't do it, but if she did, then throw the book at her.
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