WISCASSET, Maine — A former Bristol woman will serve six months in jail and must repay $17,000 after defrauding a 71-year-old Nobleboro woman of the money in 2011.
Amelia E. Lindsay, 56, now of Windsor, pleaded no contest to Class B theft by deception in Lincoln County Superior Court in Wiscasset, according to court documents.
The charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. Lindsay was sentenced to three years in jail with all but six months suspended, with two years of probation to follow the six-month jail sentence.
Her probation conditions prohibit contact with the victim and require her to pay $17,000 in restitution. If she fails to repay the money or otherwise violates probation, she could return to custody for the remainder of the three-year sentence.
Lindsay stole the money between July 11, 2011, and October 18, 2011, according to her indictment.
“This definitely can be defined as an elder abuse case,” Lincoln County Assistant District Attorney Andrew Wright said. “Miss Lindsay put herself out there as someone who was inheriting millions of dollars from a deceased person in southern New England.”
Lindsay would borrow money against the inheritance from elderly people in the area and promise “incredible” returns, Wright said.
Detective Robert McFetridge of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office was able to establish a paper trail in the case of the Nobleboro woman.
Wright credited McFetridge with an extensive investigation of a complex case reaching well beyond state lines. The veteran detective specializes in elder abuse cases and was able to prove there was no inheritance, which was key to the case.
Officials in the district attorney’s office believe Lindsay might have other victims in Lincoln County, although they do not think they have the evidence to prosecute any other cases at this time, Wright said.
“These cases are very difficult because many people and many elderly citizens don’t want to admit to themselves or to their families that they’ve been duped out of, sometimes, their life savings,” Wright said. “I think this was predatory in nature and I’m glad we were able to get her on at least one case.”
The Nobleboro woman reported the matter to police after multiple promises from Lindsay that she would pay back the money, and multiple failures to do so.
Lindsay “befriended her in the community” before defrauding her, Wright said.
The district attorney’s office warns elderly residents to be extremely cautious about lending money to anyone who makes promises that sound “too good to be true, because they always are too good to be true,” Wright said.
“We’re the oldest state in the union and Lincoln County is the oldest county in the state,” Wright said. “Elder abuse, especially financial elder abuse, is a rampant and growing problem here in Maine.”