By SAXON DAUGHERTY
Staff writer
An Oil City woman is facing 292 theft-related counts after she allegedly stole more than $16,000 from a woman for whom she was serving as a caretaker.
A criminal complaint filed by Oil City patrolman Cory Ruditis said a man contacted Ruditis in March about suspicious transactions in bank accounts belonging to his mother-in-law.
The man said he believed one of the home health care aides who was staying at the residence between December and March, 27-year-old Kamille Elder, was using the woman’s bank cards without permission, the complaint said.
The man also said a diamond ring and a gold wedding band that belonged to his mother-in-law had gone missing, the complaint said.
On March 14, Elder traveled to the Oil City Police Department to speak to Ruditis, and she admitted she was the only caretaker with permission to use the cards, the complaint said.
Elder also admitted that not all of the transactions on the combined accounts were authorized, later telling police hardships in her life, as well as issues with addiction, led to some of the purchases, the complaint said.
Elder said she used the cards to obtain unauthorized items and cash from ATMs, the complaint said.
In addition, Elder admitted to having the gold wedding band and pawning it at a local shop after the woman she was taking care of gave it to her because she needed the money, the complaint said.
The woman Elder was taking care of spoke with Ruditis in March, denying that she gave the wedding band to Elder and was angered that it was sold for money, the complaint said.
Elder has been charged with two third-degree felony counts of access device fraud, 95 first-degree misdemeanor counts of access device fraud, 194 second-degree misdemeanor counts of access device fraud and a second-degree misdemeanor count of theft by unlawful taking.
Elder was arraigned Tuesday before district judge Andrew Fish and released on $20,000 unsecured bail.
A preliminary hearing has been tentatively scheduled for July 19 in Central Court.
