Guilty plea in financial exploitation of elderly Rochester woman with dementia

ROCHESTER, Minn. – A Rochester man has pleaded guilty to stealing from his mentally infirm mother.

Donald George Polikowsky, 64, entered a plea of guilty Thursday in Olmsted County District Court to one count of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult. He had been facing four counts of the crime for allegedly taking money from his mother’s accounts after she was diagnosed with dementia in 2009.

The specific crime to which Polikowsky is admitting is that between Feb. 17 and Feb. 22, 2012, he wrote two checks from a joint checking account with his mother. Authorities say those checks for a combined $30,400 were issued to Polikowsky and his son, 31-year-old Jason Polikowsky.

Donald Polikowsky is set to be sentenced on June 21.

Jason and his wife, 39-year-old Jessica Polikowsky, are charged with 14 counts each of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult for allegedly taking hundreds of thousands of dollars from his grandmother’s accounts. They have pleaded not guilty and are due to stand trial on June 27.

Full Article & Source:
Guilty plea in financial exploitation of elderly Rochester woman with dementia

Atlantic County Woman Pleads Guilty in Scheme in Which Millions of Dollars Were Stolen From Elderly Clients of Senior Care Company

TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced that a woman pleaded guilty today to participating in a scheme with her sister and a lawyer to steal millions of dollars from elderly clients of an in-home senior care company in Atlantic County. The company was owned by the sister.

Sondra Steen, 60, of Linwood, pleaded guilty today to first-degree money laundering before Superior Court Judge Bernard E. DeLury Jr. in Atlantic County. Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Steen be sentenced to 10 years in state prison, including 4 ½ years of parole ineligibility. She will be jointly and severally liable for full restitution in an amount to be determined. Judge DeLury scheduled sentencing for Steen for March 4.

Steen was charged in an investigation by the New Jersey State Police and the Division of Criminal Justice. Deputy Attorney General Yvonne G. Maher is prosecuting the defendants and took the guilty plea for the Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau. Detective Richard Wheeler led the investigation for the New Jersey State Police Financial Crimes Unit.

Steen was indicted on March 16, 2015 along with her sister Jan Van Holt, 59, of Linwood, owner of A Better Choice, a company that offered elderly clients in-home care and legal financial planning; Susan Hamlett, 56, of Egg Harbor Township, who worked as an aide for company clients; and William Price, 57, of Linwood, who has since pleaded guilty to taking part in the scheme and stealing $125,000 from an elderly couple he met as a caseworker for Atlantic County Adult Protective Services. Van Holt and Steen were charged with conspiring with Barbara Lieberman, 63, of Northfield, a lawyer who specialized in elder law, to steal over $2.7 million from 12 elderly clients from January 2003 through December 2012. Lieberman pleaded guilty to money laundering and was sentenced on March 25, 2015 to 10 years in prison, including 3 ½ years of parole ineligibility. Lieberman forfeited $3 million in assets as well as her law license. The charges against Van Holt and Hamlett are pending.

In pleading guilty, Steen admitted that she assisted her sister and Lieberman in carrying out the scheme to steal from clients of A Better Choice and Lieberman.

Van Holt worked as a case worker for Atlantic County Adult Protective Services from 2002 through December 2007, when she was terminated. Five of the 12 alleged victims targeted by Van Holt, Steen and Lieberman were recruited as clients after they came into contact with Van Holt through her official public position as a case worker.

It is alleged that Van Holt generally was the one to identify potential clients, approaching them to offer the services of A Better Choice and Lieberman. The defendants allegedly targeted elderly clients with substantial assets who typically did not have any immediate family, offering them non-medical care and services, including household chores, errands, driving clients to appointments, scheduling, budgeting, paying bills, balancing checkbooks, and other tasks. They did not provide healthcare services.

Once a target accepted Van Holt’s offer of services, Steen usually would be put in place as the victim’s primary caregiver. Lieberman would then be brought in to do legal work, preparing powers of attorney and wills for the clients. Lieberman was a leading specialist in elder law in Atlantic County who gave seminars to senior citizens on end of life affairs, wills and living wills.

The defendants allegedly took control of the finances of their victims by forging a power of attorney or obtaining one on false pretenses. The defendants then added their names to the victims’ bank accounts or transferred the victims’ funds into new accounts they controlled. Thereafter, the defendants allegedly stole from the accounts to pay their own expenses, including, for Van Holt and Steen – who lived together – veterinary bills for their pets, pool supplies, two Mercedes cars owned by Van Holt, and lease payments on a Florida condo.

A portion of the money was used to fund the victim’s expenses to keep the victim unaware of the thefts. In some cases, money from one victim would be transferred to another victim to pay expenses and cover up the thefts. If the victim owned stocks or bonds, they were cashed out and the funds were deposited into the account allegedly controlled by the defendants. When Lieberman prepared wills for the victims, she typically named herself or Van Holt as executor of the estate and named Steen as a beneficiary, or named other beneficiaries who had little or no ties to the victim and never actually received anything from the estate. The defendants allegedly relied on fraud, manipulation or forgery in the execution of the wills. In this manner, they allegedly continued to steal from the victims’ estates after they died.

The investigation began after the New Jersey Office of the Public Guardian referred a case involving one of the victims to the State Police. In addition to the first-degree conspiracy and money laundering charges against Van Holt, she is charged along with Hamlett with second-degree counts of conspiracy, money laundering and theft. The charges are merely accusations and the remaining defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

Deputy Attorney General Derek Miller is handling the state’s forfeiture action. Acting Attorney General Hoffman thanked the New Jersey Office of the Public Guardian for its referral.

Source:
Atlantic County Woman Pleads Guilty in Scheme in Which Millions of Dollars Were Stolen From Elderly Clients of Senior Care Company

Longtime Cleveland attorney charged with stealing $115,000 from estate

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- An 84-year-old Cleveland attorney is accused of stealing $115,000 from the estate of a client, and using the money to pay his bills.

Gerald Cooper is charged in federal court with wire fraud for stealing from the estate of Henry Luke. He used the money to pay credit card bills, sports tickets and mortgage payments, among others, prosecutors allege.

The charges were filed Tuesday in an information, which usually means a guilty plea is forthcoming.

Cooper, a Pepper Pike resident, was admitted to practice law in Ohio in 1957. He is retired, according to the Supreme Court of Ohio's website.

Gordon Friedman, Cooper's attorney, said his client is working toward paying all of the money back.

"He has had an outstanding and remarkable career as a lawyer," Friedman said. "It is unfortunate that this final moment of his practice is kind of a dark mark on his reputation."

According to the information:

Cooper filed an application to administer Luke's estate in Cuyahoga County Probate Court. Between February and March 2014, he received $138,397 from three of Luke's bank accounts.

Cooper then took $115,000 from the estate between February to October 2014 by writing a series of checks. The money then went into his personal account.

Probate court records show Cooper resigned as the estate's administrator on March 6.

The Office of Disciplinary Counsel, an arm of the state Supreme Court tasked with investigating and pursuing discipline against attorneys who commit wrongdoing, could not say Wednesday whether Cooper faced discipline.

Full Article & Source:
Longtime Cleveland attorney charged with stealing $115,000 from estate

Health care worker gets 45-day term for exploitation

A Minneapolis woman convicted of taking advantage of a Rochester woman she provided home health care for has been sentenced to 45 days in jail and restitution.

Danielle Marie Johnson, 31, was charged in September 2013 in Olmsted County District Court with financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult and theft, both felonies; and pawning the property of another, a misdemeanor.

She pleaded guilty in October 2014 to the exploitation count; in exchange for the plea, the two others were dismissed. Johnson was sentenced Thursday.

The victim, a quadriplegic, suffers from lung disease and mental health issues, according to court documents.

The woman reported the theft of some of her jewelry in June 2013, telling police she had last seen the jewelry in May. The woman said in March that she got out of the shower and saw Johnson standing near an open drawer where her jewelry was kept, according to the criminal complaint.

The investigator spoke with Johnson's employer, who said he'd contacted Johnson to discuss the missing jewelry. She didn't show up at their meeting, hadn't gone to any other clients' homes and had not returned his phone calls, the report says.

When an officer ran Johnson's name through the pawn system to see if she'd recently pawned anything, it revealed she'd pawned three items in April 2013 at Pawn America in Rochester, according to the complaint.

The woman recognized photos from the pawn shop of both Johnson and the items, the report says, and said she'd not given Johnson permission to take the jewelry, which was valued at $5,640.

The signatures from the pawn shop and Johnson's drivers license also matched, the complaint says.

In addition to jail and 10 years of probation, Johnson was ordered to pay a total of $4,560 in fines and restitution.

Full Article & Source: 
Health care worker gets 45-day term for exploitation

Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission Could Seek Lifetime Ban for Convicted Ex-Judge Steven Jones

Former Family Court Judge Steven Jones is off the public payroll, but the Nevada Judicial Discipline Commission may not be ready to let him go quietly.

Paul Deyhle, the commission’s executive director, said Thursday the seven-member panel will consider a lifetime ban to prevent Jones from running for judicial office again.

“Conceivably, after he gets out of prison, he could run to be a judge again,” Deyhle said.

Atty Draskovich and Steven Jones

Jones faces more than two years behind bars after his guilty plea Wednesday in a $2.6 million investment scheme that occurred between 2002 and 2012.

He submitted a terse, handwritten resignation to Gov. Brian Sandoval after he pleaded guilty, and the state stopped paying his annual $200,000 salary.

Jones, 56, first elected to the bench in 1992, also informed the State Bar of Nevada Wednesday that he was giving up his law license.

His defense lawyer, Robert Draskovich, said Jones would have to reapply for his license before he could run for judge again, and that’s not likely to happen.

“He has no intention of getting his law license back,” Draskovich said.

Deyhle said there is no urgency for the commission to act on a lifetime ban because Jones is headed for prison and no longer being paid by taxpayers. But Deyhle added he expected the commission would want to take up the matter soon.

Jones has had a long and combative relationship with the judicial commission. He fought disciplinary proceedings against him all the way to the Nevada Supreme Court.

Full Article and Source:
Commission Could Seek Lifetime Ban for Convicted Ex-Judge

See Also:
Suspended Judge Steven Jones Inks Plea Deal in Fraud Case

TX Pastor David DeFor Sentenced for Bilking Elderly Woman

An Austin pastor accused of bilking an 82-year-old woman with dementia out of more than $40,000 has been ordered to pay $17,000 restitution and placed on 10 years probation.

The Rev. David Vernon DeFor had been charged in June 2013 with four felony counts of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult. He pleaded guilty in June 2014 to one of the counts; in exchange for the plea, the other three were dismissed.

 

The sentence was handed down Friday in Mower County District Court. District Court Judge Bernard Borene also ordered DeFor to complete 80 hours of community work service.
 

DeFor, 70, is a pastor at Austin Church of Christ (Christian). He and the victim initially became friends while serving on the Salvation Army Board together about seven years ago, according to the court complaint. DeFor was granted power of attorney for the victim on July 27, 2010.

Full Article and Source:
Austin Pastor Sentenced for Bilking Elderly Woman

See Also:
Pastor Pleads Guilty to Exploiting Elderly Woman

Suspended Judge Steven Jones Inks Plea Deal in Fraud Case

Suspended Family Court Judge Steven Jones has signed an agreement with federal prosecutors to plead guilty to participating in a $3 million investment fraud scheme.

His lawyer, Robert Draskovich, confirmed that Jones on Friday signed the agreement, which calls for him to plead guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.

As part of the deal, Jones will resign from the bench and give up his law license after he pleads guilty in federal court.

Prosecutors have agreed not to ask for more than 27 months in prison for the longtime judge at his sentencing, Draskovich said.

“He’s looking forward to putting this behind him,” Draskovich said Monday.

The deal is not binding until Jones accepts it in court. Jones could face a dozen years in prison if he goes to trial at the end of the month and is convicted in the decade-long scheme, which prosecutors allege began in 2002.

Natalie Collins, spokeswoman for the Nevada U.S. Attorney’s Office, declined comment on the plea deal.

The electronic court docket does not show an entry or date for Jones’ change of plea.

Jones and five others, including his former brother-in-law Thomas Cecrle, were indicted by a Las Vegas federal grand jury in late October 2012.

The indictment alleged that between September 2002 and October 2012, the defendants persuaded people to lend them money under the guise of quick repayment with high interest rates. The defendants indicated they needed the money to secure valuable property and water rights, including land on the Strip.

Jones is accused of using the power of his office to further the decade-long scheme and intervening on Cecrle’s behalf to prevent or delay legal processes against him.

Full Article and Source:
Suspended Judge Jones Inks Plea Deal in Fraud Case

See Also:
Embattled Family Court Judge Steven Jones Headed Back to Public Payroll

Nursing Home Staff Member Pleads Not Guilty to Charges of Hitting Disabled Resident

A Quincy nursing home staff member facing charges after authorities say he hit a resident has now made a plea. 

Nicholas Orrill, 27, pleaded not guilty to a charge of aggravated battery to a disabled person in Adams County court Tuesday.

Quincy police responded to an undisclosed nursing home June 28 after receiving word that a staff member had possibly hurt a resident.

Officers say Orrill hit a disabled resident in the face causing injuries to his head.

The victim was treated and released from the hospital.

Officials say Orrill was terminated after the incident.

His trial is set for October 14.

Source:
Nursing Home Employee Accused of Hitting Resident Makes Plea

Former Lawyer/Guardian Janet Mastronardi to Serve 30 Months Home Confinement for Embezzling from Elderly Woman

An East Greenwich woman and former lawyer who was charged with embezzling nearly $130,000 from an elderly woman will serve 30 months of home confinement and pay full restitution after pleading no contest to the embezzlement and elder exploitation charges on Wednesday.

Janet Mastronardi, 54, of 76 Goodwin St., reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and was sentenced by Superior Court Justice Walter R. Stone to seven years in prison with 30 months home confinement.

Fifty-four of those months were suspended with probation, which means Mastronardi, who allegedly bilked an 80-year-old woman she was given power of attorney over out of $129,107.57, will avoid spending time at the Adult Correctional Institutions in Cranston.

Prosecutors had argued for some time spent in jail, "but the court agreed with the defense request for home confinement in consideration of the defendant paying full restitution," Attorney General Peter F. Kilmarin said in a release.

Mastronardi was arrested after a State Police investigation concluded that she stole the money from the woman beginning in 2005 after she was given power of attorney and eventually, was appointed guardian.

The victim, identified as Jane Jacques, was suffering from deteriorating health and didn't have nearby family to take care of her.

In 2010, an employee of Mastronardi noticed "financial irregularities" while preparing a report of Ms. Jacques' finances for Probate Court.

"Specifically, it appeared as though Mastronardi was double billing Ms. Jacques for services rendered in conjunction with the guardianship," Kilmartin said.

Full Article and Source:
Mastronardi to Serve 30 Months Home Confinement for Embezzling from Elderly Woman

DA May Have Let "Guardian" Patience Bristol Take Rap for Her Ex-Boss, Jared Shafer

When for-hire guardian Patience Bristol was handcuffed and led out of court last Wednesday morning, it may have been one of the luckiest days of her life! Instead of spending dozens of years in prison, a deal was cut so she can get out in three years or less.

Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez had her hands tied by a plea bargain cut by Bristol’s attorney Warran Geller with DA Steve Wolfson who dropped twenty of twenty-one felony charges requested by Las Vegas Metro Police. At the end, Judge Gonzalez gave Bristol the harshest sentence she could - three to eight years in the Nevada Women’s Correctional Center in North Las Vegas - based on the one remaining category B felony count of Exploitation of Older or Vulnerable Person that Wolfson allowed in his stipulated sentence. Courts are usually bound by valid stipulations and are required to enforce them.

However, Patience Bristol did not exploit just one older or vulnerable person. She ripped off dozens during the ten years she was employed by Jared Shafer, the owner of Professional Fiduciaries of Southern Nevada, Inc. (PFSN), the company given full power of attorney by certain Clark County Family Court judges to control the persons and property of well-to-do wards of the court who have no relatives living in Nevada to provide them care and manage their assets.

Jared Shafer has not yet been charged with a crime.

Full Article and Source:
DA May Have Let "Guardian" Patience Bristol Take Rap for Her Ex-Boss, Jared Shafer

See Also:
Coming Monday on Rick Porrello's AmericanMafia.com

First of Many Expected Lawsuits Just Filed Against For-Hire "Guardian" Jared E. Shafer and Two of His Employees

Long time Professional Fiduciary Services of Nevada, Inc. PFSN, Inc.Registered Guardian Patience M. Bristol awaits sentencing on May 28, 2014 in the court of Clark County District Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez. Bristol's boss Jared E. Shafer has not yet been charged with a crime, and proclaims that she never worked for him.

On October 3, 2013, the State of Nevada issued a 21 count felony arrest warrant for Bristol who had been employed at PFSN, Inc. for over ten years. During that time, Jared Shafer had assigned her PFSN, Inc. "wards" for guardianship services. In Bristol's plea bargain, she admits to stealing the assets of the elderly and disabled wards assigned to her.

Bristol has struck a plea bargain with Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson who agreed to drop all but one of the 21 felony charges. But plea bargains are not set in stone. Judge Gonzalez still has the option of honoring the plea bargain on May 28, or throwing the book at Bristol.

On March 19, 2012, a year and a half before Bristol was arrested, a family member of one of Bristol's former PFSN, Inc. wards filed the second of two complaints with the Center for Guardianship Certification (CGC), the agency that certifies private guardians, trying to forewarn them about PFSN, Inc. and Bristol's exploitative actions.

On May 1, 2014, the first of several expected civil lawsuits was filed in Nevada State Court against JARED E. SHAFER, his firm PFSN, Inc.; Shafer's office manager, secretary, and bookkeeper AMY VIGGIANO DEITTRICK and her company AVID BOOKKEEPING; and PSFN, Inc. Registered Guardian PATIENCE M. BRISTOL and her company GUARDIAN SOLUTIONS, Inc.

In the most recent 6 page complaint, attorneys Michael Olson and Thomas Grover representing former PFSN, Inc. "ward" Kristina Berger (45), accuse Shafer and his associates of embezzling $456,795.61 of Berger's assets between September 2008 and March 2013 while she was a ward of the Clark County Family Court that assigned her to PFSN, Inc. for guardianship. Like many well to do elderly or disabled persons who need temporary assistance, certain Family Court Judges will often assign PFSN, Inc. to take full power of attorney over a wealthy ward's personal and financial affairs to purportedly work to ensure the best possible health, welfare, safety and financial protection until a family member living in Nevada can take that responsibility, or in Berger's case, her condition improves to the extent she can care for herself and handle her own financial affairs.

When Kristina Berger recovered from her illness, she received the shock of her life! By January 11, 2013, after four and one half years under PFSN, Inc. guardianship, only $34,599.46 remained from her once half million dollar estate. The rest was either missing or unaccounted for.

Krstina was one of several PFSN, Inc. clients to file a criminal complaint against Bristol for stealing, but Berger took it a step further and went to Family Court to try to find out what happened to her assets. There she was met by indifference and condescending from Guardianship Commissioner Jon Norheim who appeared to be working for Shafer. During the heated hearing, Shafer told the Judge that Bristol didn't work for him, and he was not responsible for her actions even though he assigned Bristol to provide care for Berger and protect her assets.

Full Article and Source:
First of Many Expected Lawsuits Just Filed Against For-Hire "Guardian" Jared E. Shafer and Two of His Employees

See Also:
Court-Appointed Guardian Arrested for Stealing READ the two complaints filed with the CGC

READ the 16 page complaint

READ the full Berger Complaint

The Jason Hanson - Jared E. Shafer Story

Preble County Attorney found guilty of theft from elderly, disabled adults

BROOKVILLE - Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine announced today that a Preble County attorney has been found guilty of stealing money from multiple elderly or disabled residents while working as the guardian of their estates.

James Thomas Jr., 38, of Brookville, pleaded no contest to a bill of information this morning charging him with three counts of theft from an elderly person or disabled adult and three counts of falsification. After accepting the no contest plea, visiting Judge Neal Bronson found him guilty of the charges.

The charges were filed after an investigation conducted by the Attorney General’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation (BCI) found that Thomas took more than $208,000 from four victims’ bank accounts between 2007 and 2013.

The victims, who range in age from 41-72, are all Preble County residents.

“As guardian of their estates, it was this defendant’s job to protect these individuals from financial exploitation, but the investigation found that he regularly used their bank accounts as his personal ATM,” said Attorney General DeWine. “Those who prey on Ohio’s vulnerable citizens should be on notice that we will do everything we can to protect our elderly and disabled citizens from those who take advantage of them.”

The falsification charges relate to the filing of false documents associated with the guardianships in Preble County probate court.

The case is being prosecuted by Attorney General DeWine’s Special Prosecutions Section. Investigators with the Preble County Sheriff’s Office assisted in the investigation.

Thomas will be sentenced on June 17.

A copy of the bill of information filed in this case can be found on the Ohio Attorney General’s website.

Full Article & Source:
Preble County Attorney found guilty of theft from elderly, disabled adults

Former Conservator John E. Clemmons Gets Potential Break on Prison Sentence

Over the strong protest of the court official who first caught him stealing from a helpless ward, suspended Nashville attorney John E. Clemmons has won approval for a plea deal that could get him out of prison in five years and four months.

In a 30-minute session before Rutherford Circuit Judge David Bragg, Rutherford Chancery Court Clerk and Master John Bratcher said he was cut out of the negotiations leading to the plea arrangement and that it amounted to a travesty of justice.

It was Bratcher, in his role as clerk and master, who first discovered that Clemmons was, without court authorization, taking money from the accounts of wards who had been entrusted to him.

Since that discovery and subsequent criminal investigations, Clemmons has admitted to stealing at least $1.4 million from four wards. He has pleaded guilty to three counts of theft of more than $60,000 in Davidson County and one count of theft of more than $60,000 in the Rutherford case. He also has entered a guilty plea in Davidson to TennCare fraud and perjury.

Clemmons’ case comes amid growing concern about the handling of conservatorships in Tennessee. Earlier this year, the General Assembly, after recommendations from the Tennessee Bar Association, approved the first major changes in the state’s conservatorship laws in a decade.

Under the plea deal unveiled Friday, a decision on just how Clemmons will serve an 8-year sentence for stealing about $120,000 from his ward Russell Church of Murfreesboro will be deferred until Clemmons gets out of prison on the charges he has pleaded to in Davidson County. Under his 18-year sentence in Davidson County, he could apply for parole after serving five years and four months.
Under Bragg’s ruling, Clemmons pending motion to serve out those eight years under alternative sentencing, such as home detention, or to get quick probation will be put on hold until his release on the Davidson charges.

Handcuffed and wearing an orange prison jump suit, Clemmons, 66, told Judge Bragg in a barely audible voice that he understood the plea deal and had agreed to it.

“He stole over $100,000 from a helpless man,” Bratcher said, barely holding back anger. “He stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from wards in Davidson and he’s been doing it for 10 years.”

Full Article and Source:
Former conservator Clemmons gets potential break on prison sentence

See Also:
Nashville Lawyer Admits to Stealing  $1.3 million, Gets 18 years in Prison

Former Judge, Andrea Peterman, Pleads Guilty in Theft Case

Andrea Peterman will spend the next decade under the supervision of law enforcement officers who used to call her “your Honor” and “judge.”

Peterman, who had served as both Crawford County’s chief magistrate judge and Probate Court clerk, was sentenced Monday morning to serve 160 to 180 days in a state detention center, with the remainder of her 10-year sentence on probation.

In a plea deal, Peterman agreed to plead guilty to a count of fiduciary theft from Crawford County Probate Court and a count of violating her oath of office as the county’s elected chief magistrate judge.

She pleaded guilty in a courtroom with many co-workers in attendance. On her way in to plead guilty, she exchanged hugs with a female deputy.

District Attorney David Cooke told Senior Superior Court Judge Tracy Moulton Jr. that “Ms. Peterman admitted essentially she’d been taking money from the till and using that for family expenses.”

Peterman responded with a firm voice to questions from Moulton about her understanding of the plea agreement, but she said nothing else. Her attorney, Michael Chidester, said Peterman took his advice about her financial problems and wishes she had done so sooner.

“She’s truly remorseful for what has occurred,” Chidester told the judge.

Read more here: http://www.macon.com/2013/11/25/2797203/former-crawford-county-judge-gets.html#storylink=cpy

Full Article and Source:
Former Crawford County Judge Pleads Guilty in Theft Case

TN: Conservator Pleads Guilty to Sexual Battery, Theft

With his two victims looking on, a 76-year-old former court appointed conservator pleaded guilty Monday to theft and sexual battery charges, crimes he committed against the very people he was charged with protecting.

Speaking so softly he could barely be heard, Walter Strong of Celina entered the guilty pleas under an agreement where charges of rape by an authority figure were dropped. From 2004 until 2011, Strong was the conservator of a handicapped couple. He admitted to sexual battery on the woman and theft of $105,479 from both of them.

He will face 270 days of jail time under the plea deal, time that could drop to 200 days for good behavior.
Although Strong was also ordered to make restitution to the couple, his attorney, Jack Lowery of Lebanon, told Circuit Judge Judge David A. Patterson it was unlikely his client would ever be able to pay back the full amount.

“He doesn’t have $105,000,” Lowery said.

When the judge asked him directly if he would agree to make restitution, Strong said, “I don’t know how.”

Patterson warned Strong that, if he failed to make an effort at restitution, the full 10-year sentence called for under state law could be imposed.

Full Article and Source:
Conservator Pleads Guilty to Sexual Battery, Theft

See Also:
TN Conservator Charged With Raping Woman, Stealing From Couple