The Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office has arrested four people detectives say stole roughly $14,000 from residents at assisted living facilities after stealing their credit and debit card information.
The Sheriff’s Office began investigating on June 30, 2022, after a resident in an assisted living facility reported fraudulent credit card use. They are continuing to investigate and have identified at least one other suspect, according to an agency spokesperson.
Detectives narrowed in on two Pinellas Park women as suspects: Angella Jackson, now 43, and her daughter, 28-year-old Lashantia Brown, the Sheriff’s Office said.
While working at assisted living facilities, authorities say the two women stole credit and debit card information from residents at three places — Best Care Senior Living in St. Petersburg, Magnolia Gardens Assisted Living Community in Pinellas Park and The Villas of Casa Celeste in Seminole — over several months.
Jackson stole $4,000 in cash from an elderly resident, authorities said, and Brown used stolen financial information to set up a Spectrum account at her home.
The investigation led detectives to two other people they say participated in the fraud scheme: 33-year-old Kanisha Altidor and 20-year-old Janorris Johnson — both also from Pinellas Park.
Altidor purchased shoes online using credit card information from one of the assisted living facility residents that Brown provided, according to an arrest affidavit, and Johnson used it to purchase Adventure Island tickets and pay a T-Mobile phone bill.
Brown faces charges of conspiracy, scheme to defraud, criminal possession of personal identification information of five or more people, aggravated criminal use of personal identification information, tampering with physical evidence and 12 counts of exploitation of the elderly.
Jackson faces several charges including conspiracy, aggravated criminal use of personal identification information, grand theft, scheme to defraud and 12 counts of exploitation of the elderly.
Altidor and Johnson each face a charge of fraudulent use of a credit card.
All four suspects were booked at the Pinellas County Jail on Thursday. Brown is being held on $90,000 bail, Jackson on $82,000 bail and Johnson on $5,000 bail. Altidor was released on $5,000 bail.
The case is ongoing…