A Lucasville woman is awaiting sentencing after pleading guilty to a charge of identity fraud against an elderly person or disabled adult and theft by deception. Theft by deception, in this case, deals with obtaining the credit.

Angel Stamper, 28, of 77 Morgan Drive, Apt. 32, will return to the courtroom of Judge William T. Marshall for sentencing at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 24.

According to Ralph C. Eichenlaub, 75, of 77 Morgan Drive, Apt. A-24, Lucasville, Stamper was assigned to him by a health care company, and stole his identity, applied for several credit cards, and those credit card charges became due in October 2011.

Eichenlaub says his daughter filed charges against Stamper, but action was not taken until the Attorney General’s office got involved.

The Scioto County Common Pleas Court docket sheet shows a series of charges were originally filed, including seven charges of identity fraud against an elderly person or disabled adult, two counts of identity fraud against an elderly person or disabled adult, theft by deception; five counts of forgery and four counts of telecommunications fraud, all felonies. However, on June 30, 2011, Stamper pleaded guilty to the two charges, which were accepted by the court.

Stamper’s sentence carries a stipulation.

“Depending on how she does coming up with restitution, that will probably determine whether or not she goes to jail or gets a straight community control sanction,” Scioto County Prosecutor Mark Kuhn said. “We’re not expecting her to go to prison. I think we said if she would come up with at least half of that restitution at sentencing or before, that would go a long way in showing her remorse that she is wanting to make this right.”

According to Eichenlaub family sources, Stamper took credit cards that came in the mail, or applied for cards through offers such as applications from oil companies.

Kay Inoshita, director of the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program for the Area Agency on Aging District 7, worked with the Eichenlaub family throughout the case as a member of the Scioto County Elder Abuse Task Force.

“It’s a group of individuals in the community — nursing homes, home health care agencies, Department of Job and Family Services, Adult Protective Services, the police department, the sheriff’s department, the Prosecuting Attorney’s office; victim’s assistance,” Inoshita said. “It’s a group of concerned professionals that meets on a regular basis to advocate for older folks who are being abused, neglected or exploited.”

Inoshita said the Task Force is currently focusing on educating the public on the subject of financial exploitation, distributing brochures and writing a grant to get money to put up billboards. Their advertising logo is, “Saved all your life? Don’t go broke. Avoid financial exploitation. Friendship and love can not be bought.”

Telltale signs to look for that a family member might be a victim of financial exploitation:

• Unusual activity in a bank account

• Unauthorized power of attorney

• Unpaid or overdue bills of an elderly person

• Questionable signed checks (forged signatures)

• Isolation by a caregiver

• A series of changes in a will

• Belongings that are missed, lost or loaned

FRANK LEWIS may be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232, or flewis@heartlandpublications.com.