SHERIFF’S OFFICE
An investigation of a complaint that dates back to December resulted the arrest of a Jones County man on multiple charges, all pertaining to elder abuse.
Michael Alan McFadden, 33, was arrested April 6. In addition to elder abuse, he was charged with inflicting pain or depriving essential services to a disabled person or resident, felony identity fraud when using or possessing identifying information concerning a person, printing, executing or negotiating checks or drafts, knowing the information is in error or fictitious, forgery in the third degree, and a parole violation.
An incident report by Jones County Sheriff Office Deputy Steven Astyk stated he was dispatched to the JCSO in reference to a forgery incident that happened on Gregory Drive. He said he met with the complainant who was the brother- in-law of the victim who resided in a nursing home.
The complainant said the victim was not a fan of McFadden who was related by marriage. He said he suspected the offender had been in the victim’s home while he has been in the nursing home and took a check book. The deputy was given a bank letter with the victim’s signature and copies of 12 checks, all paid to McFadden, with signatures not even close to the victim’s signature on the bank letter.
The checks had been cashed at a bank on Shurling Drive and a Gray convenience store.
Astyk said he contacted the convenience store and was able to speak to the clerk who had cashed the checks. The clerk said checks from the offender had been returned by the bank and she had been told not to cash any more of his checks.
The clerk was able to identify McFadden as the person who cashed the checks.
Astyk said he contacted Capt. Kenny Allen, and he worked with the bank to gather information.
The deputy added a supplement to his original report April 6 that he had obtained warrants for McFadden’s arrest for 14 counts of forgery in the third degree, 14 counts of identity fraud, 14 counts of fictitious checks and one count of exploitation of elderly.
Allen said in an April 11 phone interview that the delay in the receipt of the initial complaint and the arrest of McFadden was due to the time it took to get the financial records from the bank.
