Beverly woman pleads guilty to strangulation

by Taylor McKinnie

ELKINS — A Beverly woman who was accused of abuse or neglect of an incapacitated adult, and financial exploitation, entered into a plea agreement Tuesday morning in Randolph County Circuit Court.

Cassie Lynn Pell, 37, pled guilty to one count of strangulation, a felony, and one count of financial exploitation of an elderly person, a misdemeanor. She could face no less than one, no more than five years in prison when sentenced for the felony charge. For the misdemeanor charge, Pell could face not more than one year in prison, and/or be fined not more than $1,000.

Pell was initially indicted in October on two counts of abuse or neglect of an incapacitated adult, a felony; one count of strangulation, a felony; and two counts of neglect of an incapacitated adult, a misdemeanor. In a separate indictment, she was indicted on one count of financial exploitation of an elderly person, and three counts of fraudulent use of an access device, all felonies.

Pell is currently being held in the Tygart Valley Regional Jail on both a $15,000 cash-only bond and a $2,821.41 cash-only bond.

When asked by Lewis and Upshur County Circuit Court Judge Kurt Hall, who presided over the case, as to what she did that made her guilty of the strangulation charge, Pell said she had gotten into a “verbal argument” that escalated.

“We had gotten into a verbal argument and I had pushed her, and when I pushed her I grabbed her,” Pell said.

“And where did you grab her?” Hall asked.

“Around her throat,” Pell said.

Pell denied that the victim lost consciousness from the incident, but admitted that the victim did sustain a bruise.

When asked about the financial exploitation charge, Pell said she had been carrying the victim’s debit card and made an unauthorized purchase. Pell said the victim was in her 70s at the time of the incident.

Pell also admitted that alcohol had been involved in both incidents.

After Hall accepted the plea agreement, Tyler Resetter, Pell’s attorney, asked the court to modify Pell’s post conviction bond, citing that Pell had no means to pay the current amount at this time, that Pell was agreeable to any terms of supervision from the court and that Pell has attended and had been making progress in classes and schooling during her time in prison.

Randolph County Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Christina Harper stated she believed that Pell’s bond was appropriately set. Harper explained to the court that the victim and the victim’s family, who wanted to avoid going to court, stated that the victim still had a fear of Pell and that the victim wanted there still be a no-contact order once Pell was out of prison.

Hall denied the motion to modify Pell’s bond.

According to a criminal complaint filed by Deputy J. Wolfe of the Randolph County Sheriff’s Office, on Aug. 13, Wolfe conducted a welfare check at a home near Beverly. An elderly woman at the home told the officer that Pell had “destroyed her house,” as the living room was “in disarray with broken ceramic material littering” the floor, and that Pell “beat my head with her fist.”

Wolfe said the woman had a bump on her head “consistent with being struck,” and he also observed “containers and plates of food containing spoiled and molded meat on the living room floor,” the complaint states.

Wolfe spoke with Pell, who lives in a camper next to the home, according to the complaint. Pell said she took care of the woman full-time, adding, “We get mad, we fight” and “She hit me and I grabbed her.”

Pell allegedly took the elderly woman’s walker, cell phone and house keys from her and took them to the camper, the complaint states.

Asked to return the woman’s cellphone, Pell “attempted to take the battery out of the cell phone so she wouldn’t break it. I believe this was an intentional attempt to deprive (the elderly woman) of her means of communication,” Wolfe wrote in the complaint.

Pell also allegedly refused to give the elderly woman all of her house keys back, saying, “That’s how I get inside to make sure she don’t bust her a-,” according to the complaint. Wolfe wrote that Pell made this statement while the elderly woman’s walker was sitting outside next to her camper.

The elderly woman expressed fear of Pell, saying she had been strangled by Pell twice in previous weeks, the complaint states. At the close of her conversation with Wolfe, Pell allegedly said, “I want her to burn in hell. I’ll make sure of it.”

During a preliminary hearing at Randolph County Magistrate Court on Aug. 23, Wolfe told the court that he spoke to the victim’s neighbors who expressed concern about the victim’s safety, claiming that when they tried to approach the home in the past, Pell would chase them away with her two dogs.

Wolfe also said during the preliminary hearing he had been by the residence before for a trespassing call and that another officer had been to the house previously, though Wolfe did not know what for.

A date for Pell’s sentencing has yet to be set.

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Beverly woman pleads guilty to strangulation

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

Elder abuse charges reduced to misdemeanors in plea agreement

Matthew Robert Quillen

A Kingpsort man was sentenced to 11 months and 29 day of supervised probation as part of a plea agreement that reduced felony elder neglect charges to misdemeanors.

Matthew Robert Quillen, 36, appeared in Hawkins County Criminal Court on Jan. 13 where he pleaded guilty to three counts of misdemeanor elder neglect and one count of simple possession of marijuana dating back to 2020.

In addition to the probation Quillen was ordered by Judge Alex Pearson to pay $5,426 in fines and fees.

Quillen was originally indicted on three counts of neglect of a vulnerable adult, a Class E felony.

On March 8, 2020 the KPD responded to the residence of Bobby Quillen on Timberidge Trail in the Hawkins County portion of Kingsport on a complaint that he was being threatened by his son, Matthew Robert Quillen.

Police determined that the father suffers from multiple debilitating health issues and the son is his caregiver. Although a KPD report was made on March 8, 2020 there was no arrest. The KPD subsequently received multiple reports noting concern for the father’s welfare.

An Adult Protective Services (APS) case worker later visited the home and reportedly found no food other than cream pies and fig cookies. On April 4, 2020 police responded to the residence due to a domestic incident involving Matthew Quillen and his girlfriend, and it was again noted that there was very little to eat in the house. As a result, APS began bringing food to Bobby Quillen.

A subsequent investigation revealed that despite the father’s serious illnesses he hadn’t been to see his doctor since the previous November, and had missed two recent doctor’s appointments.

Matthew Quillen was arrested by the KPD on May 30, 2020.

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Elder abuse charges reduced to misdemeanors in plea agreement

Bay State man pleads guilty to role in $50K scam targeting Keene senior

By Caleb Symons

A Massachusetts man who New Hampshire authorities say was involved in "grandparent" scams targeting two Granite State seniors last year, including one in Keene, has pleaded guilty to multiple felonies for his role in those schemes.

Starlyn J. Lara Pimental of Roxbury, Mass., pleaded guilty Friday in Cheshire County Superior Court to theft by deception and attempted theft by deception, the N.H. Attorney General's office announced in a news release.

Grandparent scams are common and can involve callers claiming they have been robbed, arrested, in an accident, hospitalized or are stuck in a foreign country, according to the AARP. Often, the “grandchild” will hand the phone over to someone seemingly authoritative, like a supposed doctor or lawyer, and ask their grandparent not to tell their parents.

Keene police arrested Pimental, 27, last November as he was attempting to pick up $32,000 in cash from an elderly man, the Attorney General's office said in its release.

The day before his arrest, one of Pimental's co-conspirators falsely told the Keene man that his grandchild had been in an accident that killed someone and that he needed to pay that sum in compensation, the release states. Court documents in a related case show the co-conspirator also told the man earlier that his grandchild had been arrested after the accident and needed $18,000 for bail.

Prosecutors say another of Pimental's alleged co-conspirators, Elvis Guzman of Paterson, N.J., traveled to Keene last November to meet the man in a parking lot and receive the $18,000 transfer — two days before Pimental arranged to pick up the $32,000.

In a news release last year announcing Pimental's arrest, Keene police said that when the local man went to a bank to withdraw cash for a second time, a teller recognized the scam and convinced him to contact police. Officers arranged a sting operation and arrested Pimental when he showed up to get the money, police said.

Pimental also obtained $18,000 from an elderly Nashua resident in a similar grandparent scam last year, according to the news release Friday from the Attorney General's office.

Under the terms of a plea agreement, prosecutors will request that Pimental is sentenced to 7½-15 years in state prison, with an additional 4½ years suspended on the condition that he pay $18,000 to the Nashua man, the release states. He also faces up to two to five years in prison for his conviction in the Keene case, it states. Pimental is scheduled to be sentenced next February.

In May, prosecutors charged Guzman with theft by deception and conspiracy to commit theft by deception. Both are felonies.

Guzman was also indicted in Rockingham County on four other counts alleging he conspired to obtain cash from 11 elderly victims across the state last year. The indictments claim that he and his partners stole more than $100,000 from New Hampshire residents in four days. He was arrested last November in Londonderry, according to the Attorney General's office. Guzman's case is still pending.

To report elder abuse or financial exploitation, call your local police department or the N.H. Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services at 1-800-949-0470.

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Bay State man pleads guilty to role in $50K scam targeting Keene senior

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

Fraudster lawyer arrested

US District Court, Concord, NH.

MANCHESTER, NH – The Manchester attorney who stole millions from his clients and then skipped his federal sentencing hearing is now behind bars.

Federal agents arrested John Allen, 63, last week after he failed to show up to his sentencing hearing in the United States District Court in Concord, according to court records. Allen, who used to live in Bedford, had garnered the ire of federal prosecutors ahead of his Feb. 25 sentencing date by failing to disclose his finances.

Allen pleaded guilty to money laundering and wire fraud charges in November as part of a negotiated plea agreement. He agreed to repay more than $2.4 million to his clients and faced the project of a 57-month prison sentence.

However, according to Assistant United States Attorney Mathew Hunter, Allen was dodging federal officials who wanted to see his financial records. Hunter said that Allen was likely trying to hide assets from the government.

“This is a financial fraud case where the defendant stole more than $2.4 million from his victims,” Hunter wrote. “The defendant’s continued refusal to provide this financial information raises a particular concern that the defendant may have assets that he is trying to hide.”

Allen has made a financial disclosure to federal law enforcement since his arrest, and he is seeking a public defense attorney claiming that he cannot afford his own lawyer, according to court documents. Allen had been representing himself in court up until his arrest.

Allen specialized in real estate and business law, and he pleaded guilty to creating fake investments for clients. The money went into bank accounts he controlled, and he used the money for his own personal expenses, according to court records.

Allen is due back in court on Wednesday for his new sentencing hearing.

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Fraudster lawyer arrested

Rochester Woman Admits to Taking Elderly Mother’s Money

by Andy Brownell

Rochester, MN (KROC-AM News) - A Rochester woman is scheduled to be sentenced in April for taking money from her elderly mother's bank account for her personal use.

67-year-old Anne Reick today admitted to a single count of financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult through a plea agreement that resulted in the dismissal of four other felony charges. The charges were filed against the Rochester woman in November 2018 following an investigation into withdrawals from her mother's account between January 2016 and December 2017.

Reick's mother was living in a nursing home at the time and was classified as a vulnerable adult. The criminal complaint indicated Reick had control of the older woman's finances and the investigation determined she took about $22,000 from her bank account.

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Rochester Woman Admits to Taking Elderly Mother’s Money

Ex-Greene Co. lawyer accused of stealing millions from probate estate trust reaches plea agreement

By: WHIO Staff and Mike Campbell

 

GREENE COUNTY — A former Greene County lawyer accused of stealing over $2 million from the trust he had been appointed to manage reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and was sentenced Friday.

 

Brian Wiggins changed his plea to guilty on 15 of the 55 counts he was originally charged with and was formally found guilty by a Greene County judge. Wiggins agreed to plead guilty on charges of identity theft, money laundering, tampering with records, theft, aggravated theft, and possession of cocaine.

 

The change in plea was part of a plea agreement agreed to by Wiggins’ lawyer Thomas Kollin and Greene County prosecutors.

As a part of the agreement Wiggins was sentenced to five years in an Ohio prison. The maximum penalty he could have received was 54 years, however the sentences will run concurrently, meaning they will all be served at the same time.

As a part of the agreement Wiggins will also pay various restitution that adds up to about $2 million and he has been stripped of his ability to practice law in Ohio.

Investigators alleged Wiggins stole the money from a $3 million trust of a deceased Greene County resident after he was appointed a trustee of the account. The trust was designed to benefit St. Jude Children’s Hospital and Smile Train, a charity that provides free surgeries to children born with cleft palates and other facial deformities.

Prosecutors said he used the funds to pay for a house, a boat, a car, for gambling trips and for cosmetic surgery of family members among other things.

 

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Ex-Greene Co. lawyer accused of stealing millions from probate estate trust reaches plea agreement