By Alex Nelson
Brookville Borough Police filed charges against Amy D. Mace, 39, of Spring Glen, including 63 counts of forgery –second degree felony, theft by unlawful taking, criminal use of a communication facility, and financial exploitation of an older adult or care dependent person –third degree felonies.
According to the affidavit of probable cause, Mace stole a total of $48,705 from an elderly relative who was living with her over the span of about 11 years. The theft was discovered when the victim requested help from the Jefferson County Area Agency on Aging for a letter stating she owed $4,053.09 to AT&T.
The victim was told by Mace she was on Mace’s cell phone plan, but the victim never signed up for cell phone coverage. When police interviewed Mace she alleged she and the victim went to AT&T and signed the account for seven phones, but the victim did not recall this. Mace admitted the bill was four months past due, but she did not tell the victim about it.
A representative from the JCAAA requested a credit report for the victim. The credit report also revealed a debt collection from Care Credit through Aspen Dental had gone through the Dauphin County Court system. The victim told police she never opened a line of credit for any healthcare or vet bills.
Mace also told police she decided she needed dentures, but was unable to get credit in her name so she sat the victim down in front of the computer and had the victim sign up for Care Credit through Aspen Dental. Mace was approved for dental work and the balance of the account later went to collections, but she did not tell the victim.
Through several interviews with the victim, multiple witnesses, and Mace, it was discovered the victim lived with Mace for around 10 years, during which time Mace gained access to the victim’s bank accounts and would take money without permission.
A report showed 106 Zelle account withdrawals made from the victim’s account, some in Mace’s name, and some in her husband and child’s name. There were also reportedly 63 forged checks made by Mace from the victim’s account.
When Mace first married her husband, she asked the victim for $15,000 from her retirement to start a family trucking business. The two had a verbal agreement that Mace would pay this money back once the business was up and running.
Later, when Mace became pregnant, the victim was asked to come stay with her and her family to help out while she was pregnant. After she had the baby, the victim returned home to Brookville for a short period of time before being asked back to Mace’s home to help some more. The victim was OK with this for the first year after the baby was born, then started asking to go home.
The victim would also give Mace her debit card for groceries.
At first, the victim alleged Mace would give the card back, then over time just kept the card. The victim would periodically check bank statements, and the pair began fighting over where the victim’s money was going. Mace would say she needed help with repairs for the trucks, fuel, or groceries. She also had the victim’s checkbook.
The victim’s sister would offer to bring her back home, but the victim would refuse because the drive was several hours, and the victim worried about her elderly sister making this drive. Mace would also tell them she would get the victim home soon.
This allegedly continued for 10 to 11 years, with the victim noticing money going missing from her account through small purchases and several cash withdrawals a month, according to the report. Finally, the victim told Mace she needed to go home and sell her house if she was not going to be living in it.
While home, the victim’s sister suggested she close out her bank account and open a new one that Mace did not have access to. About a month after the victim was back home in Brookville, Mace asked for money through a Zelle account. The victim agreed to give her $3,000 for her husband’s truck.
Mace told the victim she was having trouble with Zelle, and needed her username and password for the new bank account, which the victim provided her. The victim’s house was sold in April and she received a deposit of $44,652.58 into her bank account.
The victim found a new apartment to rent in Brookville after selling her house. In September, the victim received a call from her landlord that her check for October’s rent had bounced for insufficient funds. When the victim went to the bank, she was told there were multiple Zelle withdrawals from March to September, and the account was overdrawn.
This bank account was also closed out and another started. This is when it was suggested the victim go to JCAAA for assistance.
When police interviewed Mace, she revealed her husband was off work for two months after he had a medical emergency. During this time, Mace did not get a job, telling police she was too busy volunteering in the school for 10 to 15 hours a month, and more frequently during the holidays.
The victim started pre-signing checks for Mace to use for household bills, but eventually Mace reportedly began forging checks and signatures with the victim’s name, and alleged she told the victim when she did this. The victim told police she never recalled Mace admitting to writing checks.
Mace has a preliminary hearing scheduled for Sept. 12 with Magisterial District Judge Gregory Bazylak.
Full Article & Source:
Woman allegedly forges checks, steals more than $48K from elderly Brookville woman
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