Montague man, Greenfield woman get prison terms for stealing $100,000 from elderly man with dementia

The Franklin County Justice Center in Greenfield.

By The Republican Newsroom

Three- to five-year state prison terms were imposed Thursday in Franklin Superior Court for a Montague man and a Greenfield woman who pleaded guilty to charges they stole more than $100,000 from an elderly man suffering from dementia.

Judge John Agostini imposed the sentences for Jason Hamon, 47, of Turners Falls, and Rebecca Campagna, 39, of Greenfield.

Hamon pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy and three counts of larceny from an elder over $250, while Campagna pleaded guilty to conspiracy and two counts of larceny from an elder over $250.

The crimes occurred between 2018 and 2020, during which time the pair Hamon and Campagna drained the 78-year-old victim’s life savings, according to the Northwestern District Attorney’s office.

The two “cashed hundreds of checks using a series of false pretenses, slowly and methodically draining the 78-year-old victim’s life savings. They did so with full knowledge that he was suffering from dementia and lacked the capacity to consent,” the district attorney’s office stated in a press release.

The prison terms were recommend by the judge by assistant Northwestern district attorney Joseph Webber. Webber cited the severity of the crimes, the harm done to the victim and his family, the importance of punishment and deterrence and the criminal records of the two in making the recommendation.

That sentencing recommendation was agree upon by the attorneys for Hamon and Campagna.

“The defendants richly deserved state prison sentences for their repeated exploitation of a vulnerable elder,” said Webber. “Anyone who suspects this sort of abuse might be happening is encouraged to contact their local police department, the District Attorney’s Office, or Elder Protective Services.”

Announcement of the guilty pleas and sentencing came with an advisory from the district attorney’s office that reports of elder abuse can be filed 24 hours a day either online at mass.gov/how-to/report-elder-abuse or by telephoning 800-922-2275. Elder abuse includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse, caretaker neglect, financial exploitation and self-neglect in cases involving persons over the age of 60.

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Montague man, Greenfield woman get prison terms for stealing $100,000 from elderly man with dementia