A St. Clair Shores man accused of embezzling more than $30,000 from a senior citizen has been charged, officials said.
Eric Williams was arraigned Thursday in 41B District Court in Clinton Township, the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office said.
He is charged with embezzling $20,000 to $50,000 from a vulnerable adult, obtaining $20,000 to $50,000 under false pretenses-third notice, and obtaining $20,000 or more but less than $50,000 under false pretenses-third notice, prosecutors said.
A magistrate set bond at $100,000 and scheduled his next court hearing for May 19, the prosecutor’s office said. The court also ordered the 60-year-old to remain under house arrest and wear a GPS monitor as a condition of bond.
Police said Thursday that Williams was released on bond.
If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison for the embezzlement charge and up to 15 years for each charge of obtaining money under false pretenses. Williams is also charged as a four-time habitual offender, which means he faces up to life in prison if convicted.
“Far too often, seniors are targeted by individuals who see them as vulnerable and attempt to exploit their trust for financial gain,” Macomb County Prosecutor Peter Lucido said in a statement.
Williams’ attorney, William Barnwell, was not immediately available for comment on Friday.
Clinton Township police said they began investigating allegations against Williams on April 15 after bank branch employees reported what they believed to be suspicious activity involving an older customer’s account.
Staff told officers a 78-year-old woman came to the bank with a man she identified as her nephew, detectives said. But because of her cognitive state and a recent history of large withdrawals, they contacted the police.
Investigators said Williams approached the woman at her newly constructed home on Jan. 9. He allegedly told her the home needed complete interior repainting and a new concrete patio, officials said.
Williams told the senior he could repaint the entire home and took her to the bank multiple times for her to withdraw large sums of cash, police said.
Detectives said none of the painting or concrete work was ever performed.
They also said Williams is a repeat offender who has been previously convicted for similar crimes involving elderly victims five times.
“This was a calculated effort to treat a vulnerable member of our community like a ‘personal ATM,'” Clinton Township police officials said in a statement. “We take crimes against our seniors with the utmost seriousness, and we are committed to ensuring that those who capitalize on cognitive decline are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”
Williams was charged the same week a White Lake Township woman was sentenced to a year in jail for embezzling more than $600,000 from her 85-year-old grandmother.
Last month, a judge dismissed a murder charge against a Clinton Township caregiver also accused of forgery, embezzlement from a vulnerable adult, identity theft, and illegal use of a credit card, due to a lack of evidence.
In March, a Clare County man accused of embezzling more than $400,000 from a senior citizen was charged.
cramirez@detroitnews.com
@CharlesERamirez
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: St. Clair Shores man accused of embezzling from senior charged
Reporting by Charles E. Ramirez, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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