Caregiver accused of stealing thousands from elderly Idaho Falls man to buy drugs

by Trey Baylor

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• Richard Dee Bierma Jr., 42, is accused of stealing $5,784 from an elderly Idaho Falls man.
• Bierma faces charges including exploitation of a vulnerable adult and grand theft.
• He allegedly used the funds to buy drugs; a preliminary hearing is set for July 29.

IDAHO FALLS — Richard Dee Bierma Jr., 42, has been accused of stealing thousands from the elderly man he lived with and cared for.

Bierma has been charged with one count of exploitation of a vulnerable adult over $1,000, one charge of criminal possession of a financial transaction card and one charge of grand theft.

Court documents say the 73-year-old victim reported to police that $5,784 was taken from his bank account and that there were 12 unauthorized withdrawals from an ATM at U.S. Bank on 1st Street in Idaho Falls.

Officers obtained a warrant to access bank records and video footage, but could only verify that $5,120 was part of the unauthorized withdrawals.

In surveillance footage from February, officers observed what appeared to be the same man accessing the victim's account at the ATM each time, documents report.

The victim identified the man in the video as Bierma, the man who'd been living with him.

The victim confirmed to police officers that he had never given Bierma permission to have or use his credit or debit cards.

Bierma was detained and taken to the Idaho Falls Police Department for questioning, documents report.

During interviews, Bierma told police that he drove the victim around and picked up his groceries. As a general rule, he said he'd never given Bierma permission to make withdrawals from an ATM, but that he would drive the victim to the bank and the victim would make withdrawals, police said.

Bierma later confessed to police that he withdrew the funds to pay for drugs, according to court records. But Bierma claimed the victim was aware of it and had given him permission.

Bierma did admit to being the one shown in photos and videos at the ATM, according to police.

Bierma has been appointed a public defender. The Idaho State Public Defender's Office does not comment on active cases.

Bierma is set to appear in court for his preliminary hearing July 29.

The Key Takeaways for this article were generated with the assistance of large language models and reviewed by our editorial team. The article, itself, is solely human-written.

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Caregiver accused of stealing thousands from elderly Idaho Falls man to buy drugs  

New law empowers Idaho financial institutions to intervene in suspicious activity

by IBR STAFF 

In an effort to help senior citizens and vulnerable individuals, a new law has been enacted by Idaho lawmakers to tackle financial fraud.

At a Glance:

• Idaho enacts House Bill 182, the “Report and Hold” law
• Financial institutions can freeze suspicious transactions
• Staff and reporting parties shielded from liability
• Law protects seniors and disabled adults from exploitation

House Bill 182, or the “Report and Hold” law, gives financial institutions the authority “to place temporary holds on suspicious transactions and report suspected exploitation,” while shielding those entities’ staff from liability.

According to the Idaho Department of Finance, the law allows financial institution staff to place temporary holds on transactions or disbursements from an account if fraud or exploitation is suspected, giving law enforcement, state agencies and family members time to investigate any situations that could lead to financial loss.

The law also empowers those financial institutions or reporting persons to identify and report suspicious activity. “This may include large or irregular withdrawals, sudden changes in account behavior, or shifts in a customer’s demeanor that may indicate undue influence or fraud,” a press release stated.

Reporting parties are also protected from civil or administrative liability when acting in good faith. “This provision encourages proactive intervention without fear of legal repercussions when fraud or exploitation is reasonably believed to have occurred, is occurring, or is likely to occur,” IDOF stated. The agency also said it and the Idaho Commission on Aging should be the recipients of such reported suspected activity, forms for which can be found on the IDOF website by clicking on the tab titled “Financial Exploitation of Certain Adults.”

The law pertains to adults who are 65 years and older or adults 18 and older who have a physical or mental disability that keeps them from protecting their own interests.

The department also stated that it will help facilitate collaboration for investigation.

“The law facilitates information sharing among financial institutions, reporting persons, law enforcement and state agencies. This collaboration is expected to strengthen investigations, enhance protections for vulnerable adults, and hold perpetrators accountable.”

It is not just banks, credit unions or their staff that are covered under the new law. According to IDOF, those included are “state or federally chartered banks, savings and loan associations, credit unions, credit union service organizations, regulated lenders, collection agencies, credit counselors, debt counselors, mortgage lenders and brokers, money transmitters, escrow agencies, broker-dealers, and investment advisers licensed or registered under Idaho or federal law.” 

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New law empowers Idaho financial institutions to intervene in suspicious activity 

'Roadshow' to Help Idahoans Avoid Cybercriminals

By AARP Bulletin

Financial fraud has gone from criminals seeking “small money grabs” to “industrialized financial-crime machines” involving thousands of employees.

That’s the assessment of John Yaros, securities bureau chief for the Idaho Department of Finance, who wants Idahoans to understand that they might not be communicating with friends or potential romantic partners online. Sometimes, the people on the other end of the line are working for well-organized cybercrime outfits that work “all day, every day” to go after your life savings, he says.

Yaros and other financial experts will spread the word at the Senior Fraud and Financial Exploitation Prevention Roadshow, offering tips on how to avoid being targeted by cybercriminals.

AARP Idaho is a host of the roadshow, which has four stops:

• Idaho Falls Public Library on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 1–3 p.m.
• Twin Falls Public Library, Thursday, Sept. 25, 1–3 p.m.
• McCall Public Library,Wed-nesday, Oct. 8, 1–3 p.m.
• Coeur d’Alene Public Library, Friday, Oct. 10, 1–3 p.m.

Each event will have a reception with refreshments and prizes. Go to aarp.org/id to register.

The sessions will highlight red flags that can signal a potential scam — like a new online friend who cultivates a relationship, then nonchalantly mentions a cryptocurrency trading opportunity and creates a sense of urgency by saying there’s a limited window to score big.

These events will provide information on other exploitative methods criminals use, such as posing as a government official or a tech-support worker.

According to the FBI, Idaho consumers lodged more than 3,000 cybercrime complaints in 2024, with more than $63 million in losses. That’s up from more than 1,800 complaints in 2021, with $17.7 million in losses.

—Rita Beamish 

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'Roadshow' to Help Idahoans Avoid Cybercriminals 

Woman who lost husband after all their children died sobs during Secret Santa surprise

The EastIdahoNews.com team is busy helping a local Secret Santa give $1 million to deserving people in eastern Idaho this holiday season. 

This is the ninth year the Secret Santa is blessing people in our community and every day, from now until the end of the year, we will post videos of the recipients being surprised with these life-changing gifts. 

Ruth Clark's story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit, resilience, and selflessness. She has faced more challenges and heartache than most of us can even fathom. 

She and her husband raised five beautiful children together. Their four sons were born with Muscular Dystrophy and over time, each one of them died from complications associated with this devastating illness. Her only daughter, Becky, also died from a different illness leaving Ruth and her husband with no living children. 

Despite the weight and disappointment of losing all her children, Ruth embraced her role as a caregiver with grace and dedication. She balanced her role as a devoted wife and mother with her job, which she held for many years. She sacrificed her own dreams and desires to ensure her family received the care, attention, and love they needed. Her strength, both physical and emotional, was nothing short of remarkable. It was not uncommon for her to work a full day and then come home to attend to her children’s needs, all the while ensuring her husband had the support he required. 

After Secret Santa surprised a young father with ALS in 2017, Ruth called and asked if she and her husband Rick could donate their wheelchair-accessible van to the family. She showed up at their Ucon home and gave them the vehicle. Tragically, Rick died last month, leaving a void in Ruth's heart that will never truly heal. 

Secret Santa heard about Ruth and asked the East Idaho News team to pay her a visit with an early Christmas gift. Watch the surprise in the video player above.

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Woman who lost husband after all their children died sobs during Secret Santa surprise

'This is impossible!' Cheerful custodian breaks down crying opening gift from a Secret Santa

A local Secret Santa is giving $1 million to deserving people in eastern Idaho this holiday season and the East Idaho News elves are helping out. 

Every day from now until the end of the year, we’ll be posting a Secret Santa surprise, and today we are surprising a custodian named Scott. 

He is a selfless man who is using his God-given talents as a custodian. He is cheerful, always whistling or humming as he works. He supports his family including his wife, who suffers from the effects of blindness, diabetes, cancer, and is on oxygen. He also has three chidlren and they all live in a single-wide trailer. 

Scott had an old car that broke down, and a friend gave him another old one to get by, but it has seen better days. He would love to take his wife on vacation or to see a play, or a musical presentation, but his car would not be able to get them where they needed to go, nor could he afford it. 

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'This is impossible!' Cheerful custodian breaks down crying opening gift from a Secret Santa

Single mom caring for her parents & blind daughter left stunned with big gift from Secret Santa

The EastIdahoNews.com team is busy helping a local Secret Santa give $1 million to deserving people in eastern Idaho this holiday season. 

Mary is essentially caught in a rock and a hard place. She worked as a computer teacher at Taylor’s Crossing for many years and put in many extra hours after school, weekends, and most summers with no extra pay. 

Mary has a 22-year-old daughter who is legally blind and depends on her mother for everything. Her daughter has appointments with eye specialists at the University of Utah and in between visits, she does Telehealth to stay on top of her condition. 

Her youngest son is in high school, and both of Mary’s parents live with her and depend on her for help. Mary’s mom has recently had two knee replacements, which have required physical therapy, and her dad has injured his knee. Mary transports them to all their medical appointments, not to mention all the other things they need as they age. 

On top of everything, the only two vehicles she has are dying and require thousands of dollars to be usable. 

She just found out that one of her cars has metal in the fluids and it will cost several thousand dollars just to pull the engine to see what the problem is. Her van is 25 years old with 372,00 miles. 

Secret Santa asked the East Idaho News elves to visit Mary with an early Christmas gift. Watch the surprise in the video player above!

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Single mom caring for her parents & blind daughter left stunned with big gift from Secret Santa

Woman raising grandson injured in horrific crash surprised with heartfelt gifts from a Secret Santa

A local Secret Santa is giving $1 million to deserving people in eastern Idaho this holiday season and the East Idaho News elves are helping out. 

Every day, from now until the end of the year, we’ll be posting a Secret Santa surprise and today we are visiting a deserving grandmother named Debi. 

Debi has guardianship of her four grandchildren. Her grandson, Christian, was in a terrible car crash a few years ago. The driver died and Christian was left with a life-altering traumatic brain injury.  

He was flown to St. Luke's in Boise where he clung to life for six weeks. Debi never left his side. By the grace of God, he survived and spent the following 13 months at Primary Children's Hospital in Salt Lake City. Debi stayed with him the entire time while still managing to make sure Christian's three siblings were with trusted friends and adults.  

Because Christian's care is so intense, he was placed in a facility, but it has been Debi's dream to bring him home to be with the family. She worked hard for years to put herself in the position to have him return home and just last month, she finally did it. She moved into a new house and brought him home.

Christian is resilient - going from being an average 10-year-old boy to having the mental capacity of a toddler. He is walking again, but his care is 24/7 and extremely labor intensive.  

Debi takes care of Christian and his three siblings full-time. She has sacrificed everything to care for them, and she did everything in her power to keep her family together with the odds stacked against her. She is a remarkable person who has been through more than you can imagine.  

Secret Santa asked the East Idaho News elves to go surprise Debi with an early Christmas gift. 

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Woman raising grandson injured in horrific crash surprised with heartfelt gifts from a Secret Santa

Couple awaiting sentencing in elder abuse case, drawing exposure to growing issue

"We will continue to do our case work and show that justice can prevail," US Attorney Josh Hurwit said.

Author: Abby Wilt 

BOISE, Idaho — Elder abuse happens to one in ten adults above the age of 65, according to research by the Senior Justice Law firm. In Idaho, elder abuse is a growing issue as well.

“There’s so many different types of elder abuse, financial, health and neglect,” said US Attorney Josh Hurwit.

Research also shows that elder abuse is four times more prevalent than child abuse in the US.

“Just like children, our elderly population can be vulnerable, especially if they know the person,” Hurwit said.

Currently, in Idaho, a couple is awaiting sentencing after being charged with elder abuse, specifically in the form of obstruction of justice.

In 2015, James and Jessica Dougherty rented a room from a retired schoolteacher in Boise at a ranch past Hidden Springs. When the schoolteacher started losing memory, James and Jessica started using her money and eventually bought the ranch from her without her knowing.

From Ada County Jail, Jessica called someone to get a laptop wiped at the victim’s ranch, and later plead guilty for destroying records with the intent of obstructing the investigation into financial fraud.

The couple has been in jail and is scheduled to be sentenced in August.

Hurwit said if you or someone you know is experiencing elder abuse, you can report it at Adult Protective Services or call 911 if there is immediate danger.

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Couple awaiting sentencing in elder abuse case, drawing exposure to growing issue

Domino's pizza delivery driver raising newborn gets the biggest tip of his life from a Secret Santa

The EastIdahoNews.com team is busy helping a local Secret Santa give $1 million to deserving people in eastern Idaho this holiday season. 

Nick is a recovering addict who has been sober for early six years. He is raising his 11-month-old daughter on his own. It's been a challenging time for him because he doesn't have much family here to help and he's been working full-time while taking care of a newborn. 

When Hailey was born, Nick was working a job where he had to wake up at 4 a.m. and ne to work by 5 a.m. Having a newborn and going without much sleep most nights made this work schedule very hard, so a few months ago he found a new job with better working hours. That job didn't work out because he didn't have enough experience, so for now he's working at Domino's delivering pizza. 

Nick adores his baby girl and she loves him. Everything he does is for her. He's doing all he can, the best he can, to build their life together. 

Secret Santa asked the East Idaho News elves to pay Nick a visit and we decided to have some fun with this surprise! Check out the video in the player above. 

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Domino's pizza delivery driver raising newborn gets the biggest tip of his life from a Secret Santa

He thought he was helping a Secret Santa. Instead he was surprised with a much-needed gift.

 

The EastIdahoNews.com team is busy helping a local Secret Santa give $1 million to deserving people in eastern Idaho this holiday season. 

Kent, aka "The Donut Hole Man," makes sure that hundreds of people in our community get a 'Happy Birthday' phone call and if you are lucky, donut holes. He makes sure that the widows in his ward and neighborhood get roses on Valentine's Day. 

Kent volunteers at the Ririe Community Center every week, helping feed the veterans and the elderly. If his neighbors are in need or struggling, he is right there to give a helping hand with a hug and a smile and whatever help they need. If he is not helping others, he is not complete. 

Kent helps in the care of his elderly mother-in-law - all while battling his own health issues. He selflessly does all of this. He enjoys buying local and helping out the community. He truly loves Idaho and anyone he meets. There is no stranger in his life, he won't allow it. A helping hand, advice, a listening ear, a donut hole, or just a hello and a smile - that is Kent. 

Secret Santa asked the East Idaho News to give Kent an early Christmas gift. We set up a unique surprise to share the present! Watch the video in the player above.

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He thought he was helping a Secret Santa. Instead he was surprised with a much-needed gift.

Idaho Department of Finance to bring Fraud and Senior Financial Exploitation and Prevention Roadshow to Idaho Falls

by DANIEL V. RAMIREZ

The Idaho Department of Finance is hosting a roadshow with the goal of raising more awareness of fraud and senior financial exploitation.

The Fraud and Senior Financial Exploitation and Prevention Roadshow aims to offer educational materials and resources to seniors, caregivers and family members. This free event will be held from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 4 at the Westbank Convention Center in Idaho Falls.

In 2022, there were 88,262 fraud victims, all over the age of 60, resulting in over $3.1 billion dollars lost, according to a report from the FBI Elder Fraud Report 2022. The most common type of fraud is tech support scams, resulting in 17,810 victims.

“Ensuring Idahoans have the information, tools, and resources to protect themselves and their loved ones from becoming victims of fraud and senior financial exploitation is very important to the IDOF and to me personally,” Patricia Perkins, director of the Idaho Department of Finance, said in a news release.

The Department of Finance also will be joined by AARP of Idaho and the Idaho Commission of Aging to provide more resources.

Those interested in the event can register at fraudpreventionroadshow.eventbrite.com

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Idaho Department of Finance to bring Fraud and Senior Financial Exploitation and Prevention Roadshow to Idaho Falls

Local dog saves owner's life

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Local dog saves owner's life

91-year-old man stuck in vehicle rescued from Idaho river

A firefighter with the US Forest Service used his own rafting equipment to make the rescue. The man was stuck in his vehicle roughly 50 feet from the river bank.

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91-year-old man stuck in vehicle rescued from Idaho river

Woman accused of trying to kill father at Lewiston Idaho State Veterans home

by KLEW News staff

On Friday, the Nez Perce County Prosecutor's Office filed one felony count of Attempted Murder in the First Degree against Sandra McCarty, 54, of Las Vegas, Nevada.

She was arrested by Lewiston Police on February 2, 2023.

Staff told police that a CNA noticed the victim’s call light was activated and went to check on him.

According to a press release from the NPC Prosecutor's Office, when the CNA opened the door, she observed McCarty straddling her father, with her hands over her father's nose and mouth.

Investigators said the CNA yelled at McCarty to get off of the victim, which she did. McCarty was stopped by staff members and asked to write a statement about the incident, which she allegedly complied.

Once she learned that law enforcement was on their way, she left the building and drove away, according to officials.

LPD Officers found McCarty and took her into custody. She is currently housed in the Nez Perce County Detention Center.

In court on Friday, February 3, the Nez Perce County Prosecutor’s Office filed one felony count of Attempted Murder in the First Degree against Sandra McCarty.

The Prosecutor’s Office requested a $1 Million bond because McCarty is an out-of-state resident who lives in Las Vegas and fled the scene of the crime.

It was also requested because of the significant injuries to the victim, nature of the charge, and the concern for public safety.

Nez Perce County Magistrate Judge Karin Seubert ordered a $500,000 bond.

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Woman accused of trying to kill father at Lewiston Idaho State Veterans home

Woman Who Fell for Romance Scam Loses Home, Taken Captive, Dies—Family

By Giulia Carbonaro

A 70-year-old woman from Coeur d'Alene in Idaho who had fallen for a romance scam was kidnapped by the men who had "catfished" her and has now died shortly after being able to return home, according to her family.

Diane Webb had been introduced to dating apps three years ago by her granddaughter, the family told Spokane, Washington, TV station KHQ-TV, thinking the woman might find a spouse after being single for 40 years.

Diane Webb, 70, turned away from her family and sold her home for a man who didn't exist after falling for a romance scam three years ago. Getty Images

The idea initially seemed to prove successful, as Webb fell in love with a man named Michael, whom she met on an unidentified dating app.

Michael—who the family now knows wasn't a real person, but a fake profile created to trick women looking for love and companionship—was said to be based in Nigeria, so for three years the two did not meet in person.

But in three years of talking, Webb's family told KHQ-TV that the man would often ask the woman for money, for a variety of reasons that are often brought up by romance scammers —which usually range from paying for health fees resulting from a sudden incident to asking for support to afford a plane ticket.

According to Webb's daughter Monica Grimm, Michael had often told Webb he would come visit in Idaho, but "on the day he was supposed to show up he would tell her 'I'm at the airport, but I don't have money to get to you. Could you just give me a little?' He was in Africa the whole time," the woman told KHQ-TV.

Eventually, Michael convinced Webb to distance herself from her family, telling her they didn't value her as much as he did. According to the woman's family, Webb turned her back on her relatives and even sold her home under the pressing requests of Michael.

Then in March this year, according to the family, Webb traveled to Nigeria to meet Michael, aiming to stay for three months. But instead, the woman was held captive by the same men who had catfished her, was physically and mentally abused and fed only potatoes and beer, until July.

Catfishing is when a fraudster creates a false personal profile online to trick someone.

On July 9, Spokane Airport security called Webb's family and told them that the woman was back home after one of her captors, whom she had befriended, bought her a ticket back to the U.S.

"He felt bad for my mom being 70 and as sick [as] she was. He told her I'm getting you a ticket and sending you back home," Webb's daughter Melinda Thomas told KHQ-TV.

But Webb's return home was no happy ending to a frightful story, as the woman has recently passed away due to malnutrition.

Newsweek has tried to contact the FBI for comment.

Though Webb's story is an extreme example of the consequences of romance scams on the lives of those who fall prey to them, thousands of people report cases of catfishing and dating scams every year.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, reports of romance fraud hit record highs in 2021, with median individual losses at $2,400.

Between 2017 and 2021, people have reported losing $1.3 billion in total to dating scams.

The FBI recommends the following tips to avoid being scammed while dating online:

- Research the person's photo and profile online to see if their details match elsewhere;

- Go slowly and ask lots of questions;

- Watch out for people asking immediately to take it off the dating app and use other means of communication;

- Beware of any attempt by the person to isolate you from friends and family, request inappropriate photos or your financial information;

- If the person always promises to meet in person but then never does, coming up with some excuse why they can't, that's a red flag you should take note of;

- Never send money to anyone you have not met in real life.

Full Article & Source:

Woman Who Fell for Romance Scam Loses Home, Taken Captive, Dies—Family

Bear Lake County prosecutor resigns, is disbarred over conduct violations

by Kalama Hines

Bear Lake County Courthouse | Kalama Hines, EastIdahoNews.com

PARIS — After admitting to what the Idaho State Bar Counsel called “conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice,” Bear Lake County Prosecuting Attorney Joseph R. Hayes has resigned from his position.

In a published discipline notice, the bar counsel says that Hayes resigned in place of disciplinary proceedings after engaging in sexual conduct with people involved in multiple cases he was connected to between February 2019 and October 2021.

Hayes has also been disbarred and cannot reapply for admission to the state bar for no less than five years.

“By the terms of the Idaho Supreme Court’s Order, Mr. Hayes’s name was stricken from the records of the Idaho Supreme Court and his right to practice law before the courts in the State of Idaho was terminated on April 4, 2022,” the notice reads.

According to the notice, Hayes was first accused of acts creating a conflict of interest in May 2019, when he sent sexually explicit messages to a client he was representing in guardianship and divorce cases. He also made inappropriate sexual comments to the client, the notice continues.

Hayes was implicated in similar circumstances in December 2020, when he sent sexually explicit messages to a client he was representing in cases regarding protection orders, divorce and property division. The notice says that the two engaged in sexual conduct on one occasion.

Then, after being sworn in as the county prosecutor in January 2021, Hayes again exchanged sexually explicit messages with a woman who made allegations of domestic violence.

Hayes filed four felony charges against the woman’s husband, the documents show, then engaged in sexual conduct with her “on several occasions” in his law office.

The documents show that Hayes admitted to all allegations.

Bear Lake County Commissioners Bradley Jensen and Rex Payne both told EastIdahoNews.com that they were unaware of the allegations until they received official letters from the state.

“I was pretty shocked,” Jensen said, “because I know Joe Hayes had wanted that job really bad. … All I got from him was a letter that said he was resigning. Since then, I’ve heard that he’s been disbarred.”

Payne said that not only were the commissioners unaware of the circumstances that led to Hayes’ resignation and disbarment, they were never clued into the investigation at any point.

“We really didn’t get into it, as county commissioners. It was handled more by the state bar — it really wasn’t anything to do with us directly,” Payne said. “We were probably the last ones to really have any idea what was going on and didn’t really know until some of these official notices came out the last few days.”

Despite never being involved in the investigation, the commission is now tasked with finding Hayes’ replacement.

“This position is left to the county commissioners (to fill),” Jensen said. “What we will do is appoint somebody for a period of time, or maybe the whole term, what’s left of the term, then it, of course, goes back to election.”

For now, Adam McKenzie, who was appointed as deputy prosecuting attorney by Hayes before his resignation, will serve as the county’s lead prosecutor.

But, in time, the commission will field applications and vet applicants as it prepares to tap a new county attorney. When that decision is made, Jensen said, the commission will have the power to select whether the temporary prosecutor will serve for the remaining three years of what was to be Hayes’ term or a lesser period.

According to Payne, applications have already been received. But, there is no definite timetable for the selection process.

“We haven’t decided when we’re going to actually make that decision, but it will be made in a public meeting, in a county commissioners’ meeting,” Payne said. 

Full Article & Source:

Bear Lake County prosecutor resigns, is disbarred over conduct violations

Protect elderly from exploitation

By NECIA P. SEAMONS

Heightened isolation and loneliness during the COVID-19 pandemic have created a perfect storm for senior financial exploitation.

“Scammers often prey on socially isolated individuals,” said Patricia Perkins, Director of the Idaho Department of Finance.

Personal details gathered from obituaries and social media posts can be used to target victims. Some exploit trust within senior’s social and support groups to become more involved in their lives.

Signs of exploitation include new and overly protective friends/caregivers or surrendering control of finances to a new friend/partner; fear or sudden change in feelings about somebody; a lack of knowledge about financial status or reluctance to discuss financial matters; sudden or unexplained changes in spending habits, a will, trust, or beneficiary designations; unexplained checks made out to cash, unexplained loans, or unexplained disappearance of assets (cash, valuables, securities, etc.); suspicious signatures on the senior’s checks or other documents.

To help, keep in touch with older family members, friends, and neighbors, so they know you are thinking of them. Let them know scammers have found ways to exploit the pandemic. The red flags of fraud, can be found at www.finance.idaho.gov.

They can include a ack of information or recall about finances, suddenly hiring extra help, isolation, and sketchy behavior from friends or relatives.

Full Article & Source: 
Protect elderly from exploitation

Boise caregiver convicted for elder abuse, neglect and exploitation

Sherri Watring. (Courtesy Ada County Sheriff's Office)

BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — A jury found a Boise caregiver guilty Wednesday for elder abuse, neglect and exploitation.

Sherri L. Watring, 53, was arrested in Jan. 2019 and charged with two felony counts of abuse and neglect of a vulnerable adult - under circumstances likely to produce great bodily harm. Watring was also convicted of exploitation of a vulnerable adult in excess of $1,000, as well as a misdemeanor petit theft charge.

Watring was working as a caregiver for an elderly couple for a number of years. According to court documents, she had steadily gained trust with the couple and gained power of attorney in 2016.

The male victim died on Feb. 1, 2018 and Watring had him cremated without the family knowing. The family fired her later that month. She then took the man's ashes and spread them somewhere unknown to the family, before turning over the empty urn to authorities.

Watring was also found guilty of neglecting and abusing the female victim by failing to provide adequate nutrition and performing improper medical treatments - which created circumstances likely to produce great bodily harm. The woman later died in hospice care in June of 2018.

Watring committed the crimes over the span of two years from 2016-2018.

Watring was also charged for exploiting the couple by taking more than $1,000 from them. She used online transfers to get money from the victim's bank accounts to her own, and added debt in the victim's names using her position as their power of attorney.

A jury found Watring guilty on all charges following the three-day trial.


Full Article & Source:
Boise caregiver convicted for elder abuse, neglect and exploitation

Advocacy group says it found 49 substantiated cases of abuse, neglect at ID treatment center

The Southwest Idaho Treatment Center (SWITC) in Nampa provides residential care to people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses. It is run by the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare. Katherine Jones Idaho Statesman file

Read more here: https://www.idahostatesman.com/news/local/community/canyon-county/article220782360.html?fbclid=IwAR3y_YeCmISaH69L_Mwrnu53mwh392pvM2epFUkqsUI_B6azDC3vz1t8y1I#storylink=cpy

An advocacy group in Idaho has released a 114-page report that says the Southwest Idaho Treatment Center in Nampa for people with disabilities has again shown failures and neglect in its care for clients.

In some cases, people with disabilities were reportedly told they could not talk to their guardians about the abuse, according to DisAbility Rights Idaho, an advocacy group for people with disabilities.

The nonprofit made its announcement about the yearlong investigation into reported abuse and neglect during a Monday press conference. The advocacy group reviewed 70 investigations that occurred from Jan. 1, 2017, to Jan. 31 this year. The group said it found 49 substantiated cases of abuse or neglect.

DisAbility Rights Idaho titled its report on SWITC “No Safe Place to Call Home.” The group’s executive director, Jim Baugh, said that because the group has federal authority to do secondary investigations of abuse or neglect involving people with disabilities at an institution, they made the report findings public.

The Idaho Statesman previously requested copies of the SWITC investigations through a public records request, but it was denied those documents.

The nonprofit reviewed 20,000 pages of investigations at the treatment center to identify problems and make recommendations to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare, the agency that runs SWITC. The group found that at least 14 residents were victims of confirmed abuse or neglect.

“In a facility with only about 23 residents, these are appalling numbers. In our opinion, these point to systemic failures,” Baugh said.

DisAbility Rights Idaho provided a copy of its report to Health and Welfare on Oct. 1, and the department did respond, saying many of the problems the group outlined were outdated and have since been changed.

Health and Welfare disputed some of the claims in the report, and said the department has already changed policy on some of the recommendations from DisAbility Rights Idaho. Health and Welfare’s response stated the report has “methodological flaws” and “while some of the report’s recommendations are worth considering, others suffer from the limited investigation and lack of expertise.”

DisAbility Rights Idaho did make the department’s full written response public in its report.

“Contrary to what the report says, we first notified media and the public in August 2017 when we identified inappropriate and abusive employee behavior that was not meeting our standards,” the Department of Health and Welfare said in a press release Monday in response to the report. “We launched an extensive internal investigation into the allegations. As a result, six employees were terminated. However, the Canyon County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office declined to file criminal charges based on the Nampa Police Department investigation.”

What is SWITC?

The Nampa facility is home to about two dozen clients who have developmental disabilities or mental illnesses. The facility is supposed to prepare them for care in the community, but many clients end up cycling in and out or staying for long periods of time.

SWITC has faced whistle-blower lawsuit threats from former employees or patients’ families because of neglect. In 2018, inspectors threatened three times in six months to take away SWITC’s ability to treat Medicaid patients because of failed inspections.

In its press release, the Department of Health and Welfare said a survey team reviewed many of the abuse investigation reports from 2017 and 2018.

Full Article & Source:
Advocacy group says it found 49 substantiated cases of abuse, neglect at ID treatment center

Local caregiver pleads guilty to sexually abusing elderly woman

Brandon Bowcut

REXBURG — A Rexburg man has pleaded guilty to sexually abusing a 76-year-old woman at a care center.

Brandon Bowcut, 38, pleaded guilty to a single charge of sexual abuse or exploitation of a vulnerable adult on Wednesday.

“A vulnerable adult is someone who can’t take care of themselves in a given situation,” Madison County Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Robert Wood said.

Court documents show the sexual abuse occurred at Carriage Cove Care Center on West 1st North in Rexburg on Feb. 13.

“She was being treated for some injuries and allegations were made that Bowcut, a CNA, inappropriately touched her during treatment,” Rexburg Police Capt. Randy Lewis told EastIdahoNews.com last month.

Bowcut was working at the rehabilitation center and was assigned to the wing where the victim was a patient. While on his shift, Bowcut entered the woman’s room alone — in violation of the facility’s two-person policy — and turned his back to the door to conceal his activities, according to court documents.

He greeted the woman and told her he needed to apply a special medical cream to her groin area. He then proceeded to touch the woman inappropriately. The victim was unable to stand at the time due to an injury and was under the influence of narcotic painkillers.

Bowcut later admitted to police that this was a deliberate and planned assault, and not part of his job.

Police investigated the claim and arrested Bowcut, a Brigham Young University-Idaho student from Wyoming, on Feb. 16. He was booked into the Madison County Jail.

Bond was set at $100,000, which Bowcut has not posted.

His sentencing is scheduled for May 23.

Full Article & Source:
Local caregiver pleads guilty to sexually abusing elderly woman