Sunday, April 6, 2014

Clark County to Start Task Force to Help Elderly


SPRINGFIELD-- An elder abuse task force is starting in Clark County after an 87-year-old man was swindled out of thousands of dollars. Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly says elder abuse is one of the most under-reported crimes. The Sheriff is using one suspect- Ronald Eugene Massie- as the poster child for the task force.

"He looks like a big teddy bear he's loveable he's likable that's the crazy part of it," said Ben Cox, Massie's latest alleged victim.

"But I have a weakness of trusting people."

Cox met Massie just three weeks ago, and trusted him to fix his three cars. He gave the suspect more than $5,600 dollars in checks for parts and access to lines of credit to do the work.

"And I found out later that he really did nothing on it," Cox said, "The transmission in the back was not repaired. The work was just not done."

Cox started asking for receipts for the work being done. When Massie could not be provided, law enforcement got involved in the case.

"This is the case the I hope is the catalyst to start a new era," said Sheriff Gene Kelly. His office investigated the case after a tip from Cox's bank teller. Massie was arrested for the 75th time on April 3, 2014, in connection to the Cox case.

The recent arrest and investigation sparked the creation of a task force to stop other seniors from becoming victims.

"It's more difficult to help them once that has occurred than it is to educate them and help protect them before something happens," said Maureen Fagans of United Senior Services.

Full Article & Source:
Clark County to Start Task Force to Help Elderly

2 comments:

Thelma said...

If the task force sticks to education and doesn't engage in growing The Protection Racket, that is good.

Norma said...

I think it's a start, though, Thelma.