Carrie Lea Sheldon, 50, of Blooming Prairie has been charged with felony financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult – fail to provide care, felony financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult – uses/manages/takes property for the benefit of someone else – and felony financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult – deprives property or resources for the benefit of someone else.

According to the court complaint, a Mower County Human Services agent notified an Austin Police detective on Sept. 15 about an adult male at a nursing home that was possibly having money stolen from him by Sheldon, who was in charge of managing his finances. She spoke to the victim, who seemed aware of the situation. The victim is confined to a bed and was receiving medical assistance to pay his living expenses.

The MCHS agent provided the detective with a summary of the victim’s bank activity. The victim had deposited $21,490.40 into his account from the sale of his house on Oct. 30, 2017, but a bank statement from Aug. 13, 2019, showed he only had $229.19 in his account. The victim said he put Sheldon, a former neighbor, in charge of his finances because he believed he could trust her. He denied giving her access to a debit card and said she was only allowed to use his funds to “get something to eat.” He also indicated he had not seen Sheldon in approximately three months.

MCHS requested Sheldon’s bank account be frozen and that the debit card associated with the account be cancelled. They also requested the victim’s nursing home take over as his representative payee. The agent advised that there were numerous account transfers and ATM withdrawals in the thousands of dollars. The victim said he only spends about $12 a week while living at the facility and that he suspected Sheldon was using his money without permission.

The detective received an administrative subpoena for both the victim’s and Sheldon’s personal financial records and had their accounts frozen.

On Aug. 19, the detective and the MCHS agent met with Sheldon, who said she met the victim several years ago and that the victim’s cousin was his power of attorney. She said she has “always been there” for the victim “so people don’t take advantage of him” and that she had access to his finances because he added her to his account so she could write checks for him.

Sheldon said the victim paid $240 per month for his residence and cable television and indicated she had just paid his bills and that he had less than $100 in his account. She said the victim received the proceeds from the sale of his house and that some of the money went to pay his bills and prepay his funeral. She said she paid herself $3,500 for getting his home ready for sale as well as $1,000 the previous year for gas and getting things for the victim. She indicated the victim asked her for money all the time and she would go to the bank or ATM to withdraw cash for him. She said she did not know what the victim did with the cash and speculated the nurse’s at the nursing home had stolen his cash.

On Oct. 4, the detective obtained a copy of Sheldon’s bank records and saw that her account number corresponded with numerous transfers out of the victim’s bank account. After reviewing documents from the victim’s account, he found Sheldon was listed as a signer on the account, but not an owner. He observed that numerous withdrawals were made from the victim’s account between Sept. 1, 2017, and July 25, 2019, and estimated Sheldon had used $17,380.18 of the victim’s money in ways that had no benefit to the victim.

Sheldon will appear in court again on Jan. 9.