TACOMA -- A 37-year-old Puyallup woman on Tuesday pleaded guilty to eight counts of theft from a vulnerable adult.
According to the Pierce County Prosecutor's Office, Jessica Sellers stole more than $82,000 from her husband's elderly grandfather who suffers from dementia.
“Our Elder Abuse Unit continues to successfully advocate for vulnerable adults,” said Prosecutor Mark Lindquist. “People should know there are heavy penalties for exploiting elders and we vigorously prosecute these cases whenever and wherever they happen in Pierce County.”
Sellers volunteered to take power of attorney back in 2006 and the victim was moved to assisted living in 2012, they said.
Prosecutors said Sellers claimed the money in the victim's account was down because it fluctuated with the stock market. She also told family members that the victim's home was sold for $350,000 when it actually sold for $400,000.
At the time, Sellers was unemployed and her husband was on L&I because of an injury. According to the prosecutor's office:
Sellers is scheduled for sentencing on Nov. 2.