We have all seen horrific news reports about elder abuse, but most of it does not sound like anything that could happen in our own families. There are stories about nursing home employees who seek out work at nursing homes so that they can have access to the patients’ prescription medications; meanwhile, they neglect the patients and sometimes even intentionally harm them. Then there are the burnt-out family caregivers who buckle under the overwhelming demands of caring for their elderly parents who cannot live independently. 

Just as bad are the tales of undue influence, the Internet flirts who weasel their way into a lonely elderly person’s life, eventually sweet-talking their way into the senior’s will. Financial abuse of seniors is the most common form of elder abuse, and it does not always come from younger paramours who meet their marks online. It is possible to get criminal charges for the financial exploitation of your own elderly parents. If you are facing criminal charges or are allegedly causing an elderly family member financial harm intentionally, contact a Tulsa criminal defense lawyer.

Tulsa Woman Charged With Stealing Her Mother’s House

Estate planning lawyers often advise seniors to transfer ownership of their house to the family member who would have inherited the house after the testator died; both the original owner of the house and the recipient can benefit financially if the transfer takes place while the recipient is still alive and well enough to complete the transaction. Therefore, there is nothing untoward about the fact that Daphne Bachelder’s mother and stepfather, who are in their 80s, signed over ownership of their home to her.

Bachelder’s legal troubles began when, as the legal owner of the house that once belonged to her mother, she went to court to evict her mother and stepfather. When they refused to leave, this led to a criminal investigation into Bachelder’s actions. The investigators found that Bachelder had also taken $50,000 from her mother. She is now facing criminal charges for exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult.

The Crime of Exploitation of an Elderly or Disabled Adult

Some states enhance the penalty for financial crimes when the person who suffers financial losses because of the alleged crime is over the age of 60; the rationale is that retirees and people approaching retirement age are less able to recover from their financial losses. Oklahoma recognizes exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult as a separate criminal offense. The penalties vary according to the amount of financial losses the elderly person incurs. If an elderly person loses more than $100,000 in assets due to the defendant’s actions, the maximum penalty is 15 years in prison. If the amount of losses is less than $100,000, the maximum penalty is ten years in prison.

Contact Tracy Tiernan About Criminal Defense Cases

A criminal defense lawyer can help you if you are facing criminal charges for financial crimes against an elderly member of your family.  Contact Tracy Tiernan in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to discuss your case.