C.H. "Chuck" Slemp, III, Commonwealth's Attorney for Wise County and the City of Norton announced today that Latricia Rae Kiser, age 40, of Pound, Va., will spend almost two years in prison for financial crimes she committed against a disabled elderly victim in her care.
Kiser previously pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to six counts of felony uttering and five counts of felony forgery on September 25, 2017. The Wise County Circuit Court heard evidence today at a sentencing hearing and announced the sentence after the presentation of evidence from both the prosecution and the defense. Kiser received a sentence of five years in the penitentiary with three years and two months suspended. She will serve an active prison term of one year and ten months within the custody of the Virginia Department of Corrections. After her release, Kiser will be required to complete three years of supervised probation and pay restitution to the victim.
Between October 2016 and January 2017, Latricia Kiser was hired to assist with taking care of a disabled elderly adult. During the time Kiser served as the victim's home healthcare worker, Kiser stole checks from the victim. Kiser then forged the victim's name and without the victim's permission cashed six checks for various amounts totaling $1,750. The fraud was discovered when the victim's family discovered inaccuracies in the checking account and called the police. When Wise County Sherriff's Deputies investigated, Kiser confessed her crimes.
The case was successfully brought to a conclusion through the efforts of Commonwealth's Attorney Chuck Slemp and assistant Commonwealth's Attorneys Ken Lammers.
Commonwealth's Attorney Chuck Slemp said, "Financial exploitation of the disabled and elderly is far too common in our community. Ms. Kiser was invited into a home, paid to care for another person, and then stole that person. She was entrusted with the care of a vulnerable individual and then betrayed that trust. A crime of this nature should offend everyone in our community. We will continue to fight to protect seniors and incapacitated adults from this kind of abuse and exploitation."
Slemp expressed his appreciation for the diligent efforts made to investigate and prosecute this case, specifically the Wise County Department of Social Services, the Wise County Sheriff's Department, and the Southwest Virginia Joint Senior Abuse Task Force.
Kiser previously pleaded guilty without a plea agreement to six counts of felony uttering and five counts of felony forgery on September 25, 2017. The Wise County Circuit Court heard evidence today at a sentencing hearing and announced the sentence after the presentation of evidence from both the prosecution and the defense. Kiser received a sentence of five years in the penitentiary with three years and two months suspended. She will serve an active prison term of one year and ten months within the custody of the Virginia Department of Corrections. After her release, Kiser will be required to complete three years of supervised probation and pay restitution to the victim.
Between October 2016 and January 2017, Latricia Kiser was hired to assist with taking care of a disabled elderly adult. During the time Kiser served as the victim's home healthcare worker, Kiser stole checks from the victim. Kiser then forged the victim's name and without the victim's permission cashed six checks for various amounts totaling $1,750. The fraud was discovered when the victim's family discovered inaccuracies in the checking account and called the police. When Wise County Sherriff's Deputies investigated, Kiser confessed her crimes.
The case was successfully brought to a conclusion through the efforts of Commonwealth's Attorney Chuck Slemp and assistant Commonwealth's Attorneys Ken Lammers.
Commonwealth's Attorney Chuck Slemp said, "Financial exploitation of the disabled and elderly is far too common in our community. Ms. Kiser was invited into a home, paid to care for another person, and then stole that person. She was entrusted with the care of a vulnerable individual and then betrayed that trust. A crime of this nature should offend everyone in our community. We will continue to fight to protect seniors and incapacitated adults from this kind of abuse and exploitation."
Slemp expressed his appreciation for the diligent efforts made to investigate and prosecute this case, specifically the Wise County Department of Social Services, the Wise County Sheriff's Department, and the Southwest Virginia Joint Senior Abuse Task Force.