In June of this year the Tucson Police Department arrested 59 year-old Shirley Gonzales for stealing over $900,000 from an elderly woman she was supposed to be caring for. Gonzales wrote numerous unauthorized checks from the victim’s account over several years. Tucson Police Detectives from the Elder Abuse Unit investigated the case and Gonzales was ultimately indicted on 5 counts of Theft from a Vulnerable Adult (Class 2 Felony), 4 counts of Forgery (Class 2 Felony) and 1 count of Unlawful Use of a Power of Attorney.
Gonzales ended up taking a plea for 1 count of Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices (Class 2 Felony). On December 1st, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison.
If you or someone you know has a family member or loved one being cared for by someone else, be sure that financial accounts are being monitored for activity. Report suspicious activities to law enforcement immediately. When searching for an adult care facility, be sure to look for a reputable company that conducts background checks on their employees.