Former Police Officer and Wife of Local Police Chief Accused of Exploiting Elderly Woman

by Jake Judd

(KNSI) – An ex-Cloquet police officer who is the wife of Sartell’s Police Chief has been charged after the family of an elderly woman accused her of financial exploitation.

On Friday, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison charged Laci Marie Silgjord in Carlton County District Court with one count of felony financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, one count of gross misdemeanor financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult, and one count of felony attempted theft by swindle.

According to the criminal complaint, Silgjord first met the 78-year-old woman in May 2020 when she responded to her home for a call regarding a stolen purse. Silgjord and other officers conducted a welfare check on August 25th, 2020, when they found the woman had suffered a stroke and rushed her to the hospital.

Investigators say on September 4th, 2020, the hospital petitioned for guardianship for the woman, identified in court papers as Joan, due to “severe memory and orientation deficits which make her unable to make higher level decisions about her medical care.” At a court hearing, Silgjord stated that a social worker at the hospital asked her to be Joan’s guardian, and the court appointed her on September 11th, 2020. That allowed Silgjord to perform personal care and custody duties. Prosecutors say she was never appointed as a conservator to make financial decisions for Joan or manage her money, and a guardian can only make medical decisions.

According to the complaint, throughout September 2020, Silgjord recorded multiple bedside conversations, and during one, Joan said she did not know where she was, did not know her maiden name, did not know her father’s name, and did not remember how old her son was when he died. During this conversation, Silgjord told her that she was her “new grandma” and that she loved her. Joan said she loved her too and wanted to take care of her.

On October 28th, 2020, Joan died with no surviving children and no will. Silgjord allegedly did not notify Joan’s estranged husband and next of kin about her death. The AG’s office says the court’s order appointing Silgjord as guardian expired when Joan died. Shortly after, Silgjord met with the estranged husband, and authorities say she claimed to be “in charge” of ensuring Joan’s wishes were carried out.

Silgjord is also accused of refusing to give the estranged husband the keys to the house where Joan lived. When he asked Silgjord about submitting paperwork to access the bank accounts, she allegedly responded that he could “probably not” do this “because I am on the account.”

On November 24th, 2020, the husband said he went to the house and found Silgjord. She allegedly claimed guardianship and conservatorship, refused to provide him the keys, and said she would not do so “until the courts make me sign it over.”

December 18th, 2020, Silgjord filed a petition seeking to be appointed personal representative of the estate, claiming the estate owned her payment for guardianship expenses.

Silgjord filed a claim on January 28th, 2021, against the estate for $71,601.58, which she estimated to be the estate’s total value. In describing her claim, Silgjord wrote, “Prior to Joan’s death, she told me she loved me and wanted to take care of me and my family. I was Joan’s friend and court-appointed guardian.”

A second claim was filed on March 9th, 2021, seeking an additional $86,611.70 from the estate, representing the total inheritance Joan was set to receive from her stepmother’s estate. In describing this claim, Silgjord wrote, “I was Joan’s court appointed guardian and took care of her prior to her death. There is no formal will, but Joan told me and my husband she loved us and wanted to take care of us. I have this recorded on my cell phone.” That claim was denied.

According to Pine Knot News in Cloquet, Silgjord was placed on leave in May 2021 after city officials voted to fire her on February 2nd. Silgjord appealed and asked for arbitration before agreeing to resign on June 7th, 2022, after reaching an agreement with the city, which included a payment of $49,200 for “damages in a case involving humiliation, damage to reputation or emotional harm arising from employment.” The city also paid Silgjord’s regular wages and benefits plus attorney fees of $32,800.

In a Facebook post dated October 1st, 2020, Brandon Silgjord, who was working for a different law enforcement agency at the time, said Laci saw Joan was alone and offered her companionship “that she may not have had in years.” He said she became Joan’s friend, and Joan disclosed she had no family and no close friends and “Laci became that for her.”

In the post, he told the story of Laci and Joan to remind people there is a human being behind the badge. He added, “we are far from perfect, but we love and care deeply about the communities and people we serve.”

KNSI has reached out to Chief Silgjord for comment but left a message as we were told he was not in the office.

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Former Police Officer and Wife of Local Police Chief Accused of Exploiting Elderly Woman