Man, woman indicted on exploitation of disabled, elder person charges

by Billy Hobbs

EDITOR’S NOTE: An indictment is an allegation of criminal conduct. All defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law beyond reasonable doubt.

A Baldwin County grand jury recently returned a five-count indictment against a local man and woman stemming from reported crimes against a disabled or elder adult.

The indictments were returned earlier this month against defendants Jerry Kenneth Barber and Bobbie Jo Barber, according to court records.

The relationship between the couple, if any, was not immediately known.

The man and woman are each charged with two counts of exploitation and intimidation of a disabled adult, or an elder person or resident, records show. Each is also charged with two counts of neglect to a disabled adult, an elder person or resident, and one count each of false imprisonment.

The case was presented to grand jurors following an extensive investigation by Baldwin County Sheriff’s Office Detective Bob Butch. 

Each of the crimes reportedly happened on Nov. 28, 2023, in Baldwin County while the victim was being supervised by the defendants.

On the neglect charge, grand jurors accuse the couple of willfully depriving the victim of necessary sustenance to the extent that the health and well-being of the victim was jeopardized, according to the indictment.

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Man, woman indicted on exploitation of disabled, elder person charges

Woman admits to bilking Orland man out of more than $1.6 million

From staff reports

A woman has admitted in federal court that she used a series of threats and intimidation to bilk an elderly Orland Park victim out of more than $1.6 million.

Lee Turner, also known as “Ashley Turner,” 40, of Joliet, pleaded guilty on May 16 to one count of using a facility of interstate commerce to promote and carry on unlawful activity, namely theft and intimidation. The conviction is punishable by a maximum sentence of five years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. U.S. District Judge Manish S. Shah set sentencing for Sept. 8.

Turner admitted in a plea agreement that from 2018 to 2021 she communicated numerous threats and fraudulent statements to the victim, who was in his 70s and had limited vision. Turner’s communications threatened to expose the victim’s purported criminal activity, even though Turner had no knowledge of any such activity committed by the victim. Turner took on false personas to convey false statements purportedly from others, including alleged gang members, individuals involved in organized crime, prosecutors, journalists, and corrupt law enforcement officers.

In one example cited in the plea agreement, Turner, using the alias “Big Joe,” sent a series of messages to the victim, claiming that the victim had to pay $30,000 to prevent law enforcement from raiding the victim’s residence and a relative’s residence. On June 13, 2019, the victim paid Turner $30,000 to avoid the purported raids, the plea agreement states. The money was one of dozens of similar payments, ranging in value from $5,000 to $66,000, that the victim made to Turner. In all, Turner received $1,611,975 from the victim as a result of the scam, the plea agreement states.

The guilty plea was announced by Orland Park Police Chief Eric Rossi, Morris Pasqual, Acting United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois, and Robert W. “Wes” Wheeler, Jr., Special Agent-in-Charge of the Chicago Office of the FBI.

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Woman admits to bilking Orland man out of more than $1.6 million

Perry County attorney disbarred after corruption of minors, other charges

by: Avery Van Etten

Judge Michael Schechterly

PERRY COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) — After pleading guilty to charges including inappropriate contact with minors last November, Perry County judge and attorney Michael Schechterly was disbarred on April 26 by order of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.

Schechterly was previously suspended from the Bar of Pennsylvania. He was sentenced in February to at least 60 days and no more than 23 months in prison in connection to charges including corruption of minors, intimidation of witnesses/victim, and obstructing administration or law of other governmental functions.

A Pennsylvania State Police investigation found that Schechterly sexually assaulted a 12-year-old boy in 2012, according to Attorney General Josh Shapiro.

The attorney general also said that Schechterly used his authority as a judge to intimidate a woman who was a witness and an alleged victim in an investigation of sexual misconduct by a state constable and prevented her from coming forward with her allegations.

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Perry County attorney disbarred after corruption of minors, other charges

Convicted former Bradford County District Attorney Chad Salsman disbarred

by Jeff Smith

Former Bradford County District Attorney Chad Salsman, who pleaded guilty in early May to promoting prostitution, obstruction of law and witness intimidation, was disbarred Tuesday by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.  

Salsman, who was accused by several former clients of sexual assault and other crimes, pleaded guilty to three lesser charges in Bradford County Court.  

The plea agreement reached between Salsman and the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office also required Salsman to resign from his elected position, officials said. He was admitted to the bar of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in October 2001. 

Salsman initially faced multiple counts of sexual assault, indecent assault, intimidation of a witness or victim, obstruction of justice, and prostitution resulting from complaints filed by five female clients of his former law practice. 

"Chad Salsman used his position as a private attorney, and then as the district attorney, to intimidate and silence his victims and interfere with our investigation," state Attorney General Todd Shapiro said following the plea. "Today is a powerful reminder that no one is above the law." 

Salsman, who was elected district attorney in November 2019 and took office in January 2020, was arrested in early February of this year following a year-long investigation by the Pennsylvania State Police.

The investigation was prompted by complaints from several former clients of Salsman's private practice that he had touched them inappropriately, forced them to have sexual relations in his office, and other accusations.

Former Bradford County District Attorney Daniel Barrett, who retired at the end of 2019, referred the case to the Attorney General's Office to avoid any possible conflict of interest.

Salsman, a Bradford County native and graduate of Wyalusing High School, went on to defeat then-Assistant District Attorney Albert Ondrey in both a primary and the general election.

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Convicted former Bradford County District Attorney Chad Salsman disbarred

Rome man charged with exploitation of an elderly person

By Doug Walker

A Rome man faces a list of charges after he allegedly made threats against an elderly woman, threw a bat at a man and spit on police, reports stated.

According to Floyd County Jail reports:

Edward Lamar Baker, 55, was picked up at his home Monday by Floyd County police, who reported that he inflicted mental anguish on an elderly woman by punching out a couple of windows and threatening to blame her for his injuries.

Baker also threw a baseball bat at a man before police took him to the hospital, where he is accused of spitting on officers.

Baker is charged with felony exploitation and intimidation of an older person along with misdemeanor criminal trespass, two counts of willful obstruction of officers, simple battery against police, disorderly conduct and public drunk.

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Rome man charged with exploitation of an elderly person

Illinois Woman Arrested for Financial Exploitation of Disabled Person

A Franklin Grove woman was charged Wednesday with financially exploiting a disabled woman.

Dixon police arrested Tina M. Parks, 53, on two counts of financial exploitation of a disabled person, one instance ranging between $300 and $5,000 and the other for less than $300.

The felony charges carry sentences of 2 to 5 years and 1 to 3 years, respectively. The exploitation took place on March 30 and 31 when Parks, “standing in a position of trust or confidence ... knowingly and by deception or intimidation” used the disabled person’s assets, according to court documents.

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Franklin Grove Woman Arrested for Financial Exploitation of Disabled Person

Police looking for woman accused of stealing from elderly man

Lanique Elaine Pettus

A woman accused of stealing nearly $10,000 from an elderly man by falsifying his signature on checks and using his debit card to make rent and car payments is being sought by authorities, according to the Clark County District Attorney’s Office and court documents.

Lanique Elaine Pettus, 32, is wanted on one count of exploitation of an older person, 16 counts of forgery and six counts of fraudulent use of credit card; all felonies, according to a criminal complaint filed in a Henderson courthouse.

The 80-year-old man was victimized through “deception intimidation or undue influence” last year from Feb. 1 to March 31, according to the complaint.

The fraudulent checks were written for amounts ranging from $150 to $780, and the debit card was used for payments in the range of $268 to $888, totaling about $9,500, according to the complaint.

Prosecutors today released photos of Pettus allegedly cashing the fraudulent checks at valley banks.

It wasn’t immediately clear when the case was filed.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555 or crimestoppersofnv.com

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Police looking for woman accused of stealing from elderly man