WA man accused of targeting, scamming elderly people arrested

Name: Man charged for defrauding elderly people in Lakewood
Uploaded: 2024-07-26T18:04:08-07:00
Description: Lakewood Police has arrested Timothy Baugh, a man they say is notorious for targeting and scamming elderly individuals.

Man charged for defrauding elderly people in Lakewood

Lakewood Police has arrested Timothy Baugh, a man they say is notorious for targeting and scamming elderly individuals.

LAKEWOOD, Wash. - Lakewood Police have arrested Timothy Baugh, a man they say is notorious for targeting and scamming elderly individuals.

Prosecutors have charged him with first-degree theft of a vulnerable adult, first-degree theft and failure to obtain a business license.

In court Friday, Baugh pleaded not guilty.

Police say the charges stem from a scheme in which Baugh allegedly stole more than $60,000 from a man with dementia.

Baugh, who has been taking advantage of vulnerable people in Lakewood for years, appeared before a judge Friday afternoon.

Sgt. Paul Porch of the Lakewood Police Department, who has had past encounters with Baugh, expressed his concerns regarding the suspect’s long history of targeting elderly individuals. "I had some loose dealings with him, myself, when I was on patrol several years ago," Porch said. "He's been here and pretty notorious over time for running scams, essentially, with the elderly population. You cringe a little bit because you know what he's up to."

Sgt. Porch, who will mark 20 years with the department next month, emphasized the department’s familiarity with Baugh.

"When you hear his name come up, you generally, automatically know what it's going to be about and what he's associated with," Porche said. "I would say at least the majority of those 20 years if not before, that. He has been around here and we've had some dealings with him."

Officers arrested Baugh on Thursday for this latest deception.

The 57-year-old reportedly knocked on the door of a 101-year-old woman in December, offering to mow her overgrown lawn. Court documents reveal that her 75-year-old partner answered the door and, thinking it would be a nice gift, agreed to let Baugh do the work. The pair drove to an ATM and withdrew $500 for tools and a truck.

For the next month, Baugh returned every day or two, asking for more money to complete the job. The withdrawals increased to $8,000 and $9,000 each time. During this period, the man lost his partner.

"You feel disgust for that," Porche said, adding that Baugh's behavior didn’t deter his loss, calling it "reprehensible."

Baugh's criminal history dates back to 1993, with 19 felonies including theft, organized crime, and escaping custody. His actions raised flags at the bank, leading personnel to report the suspicious activity.

The financial impact of Baugh’s actions is substantial.

"It's hundreds of thousands of dollars that he's taken from our residents over the number of years," Porche said.

Kathy Morgan, director of Adult Protective Services, echoed Porch’s concerns about the prevalence of scams targeting the elderly. "It's really easy for any one of us to get scammed. There's a lot of internet, a lot of phone calls and there's opportunities," Morgan said. "The banks notice something unusual and made that report, and that's what we need in the community in general, is to just keep a watch out, whether it's our family members, whether it's our grocery store clerks, and make those reports."

Morgan highlighted the trust vulnerable adults often place in scammers.

"An elderly person may want that personal connection. Somebody is calling, they're reaching out, they're talking to them. People gain their trust, and we're a trusting population in general," she explained. "It’s alarming because you have people coming to your door with a service, whether it's a home repair or yard work, and you need that service done. So you're willing to pay somebody to do that, but then they turn around and scam you."

Reflecting on the emotional impact on the victims, Morgan said, "I'm frustrated. I'm hurt by it. I see individuals every single day who are being taken advantage of by others. It's very sad that there are people out there who are taking advantage of individuals who are trusting."

Adult Protective Services investigated the allegations and discovered the victim was suffering from dementia, which is why he had no recollection of how many times and how much money he had given Baugh. There were 14 trips to the bank, totaling $68,900, with no yard work ever done. Baugh had not held an active business license for over five years.

"I would say he's one of, if not the worst," Porche commented on Baugh’s repeated offenses. Despite previous convictions in 2018 and 2021, the exact number of victims between the time he was released from the Department of Corrections and Thursday remains unknown.

Baugh, maintained his innocence in court, telling the judge, "This is not a theft, first of all." He's being held on $150,000 bail and is expected in court next week.