A woman wanted for posing as a nurse to enter assisted living facilities in Moraga and Orinda was arrested by a US Marshals Service Fugitive Task Force unit Tuesday in Antioch, Moraga Police Chief Jon King said Thursday.
Antoinique Bryant, 29, was taken into custody and booked into the county jail in Martinez on an outstanding $655,000 warrant issued in connection with the case.
The Moraga Police Department received reports of thefts and fraud from several elderly residents at Aegis Living in Moraga during late August and further investigation revealed that checks, credit cards and debit cards had been stolen from the private living spaces of elderly residents at the facility. The checks were cashed and credit and debit cards used at various locations throughout Contra Costa County, in Southern California and Nevada. Officers also worked with the Orinda police and discovered that a similar theft had occurred at the Orinda Senior Village in which an elderly resident was victimized.
Police have subsequently determined similar crimes believed perpetrated by these suspects took place in Concord, Berkeley, and Marin County.
Local investigators located video surveillance that showed the suspects engaged in cashing checks and using the credit and debit cards. One of the suspects, believed to be Bryant, was a female who was dressed in a nursing uniform. Witnesses described seeing the same female suspect inside the Aegis facility at the time of the thefts, although she is not an employee at the facility.
The suspects were subsequently identified as Bryant, of Richmond, and Shawn Morris, 30, also of Richmond. A search of their residence was conducted and resulted in property and evidence being located. Morris was subsequently arrested.
The investigation was reviewed by the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s office, which filed 27 felony and misdemeanor charges against both Bryant and Morris. These charges included Elder Abuse, Burglary, Fraud and Identity Theft. Morris remains in-custody on these charges. Bryant has not been located and there is a $655,000 warrant outstanding for her arrest.
Moraga Police Chief Jon King said police are still looking into how the suspects gained access to the facilities in question.
Make her empty bedpans
Lock her up and throw away the key. They need tighter security at assisted living. Know who your employees are.
I’m with Danielle on this one. Yes. Our parents are vulnerable and require protection. Mom stays home with us.
@Kelly – Tell her “hi” from us!
I’m going to need a good story out of you guys soon. These last few have been really really depressing. Good to know — but depressing.
Pretty much my all time worse nightmare. I’m so scared we won’t be able to adequately take care of my parents and then us as we get older! I’m worried sick about it.
@Mara – We get it, Mara. Us too.
Rather than just locking her away I would like to see her do some sort of valuable community service on behalf of elders. Just putting her in jail seems too good for her. Make her repay her victims in some way.
Might be time to take another look at security. Cameras would present a privacy issue, right? Something has to be done. Apparently you can walk in off the street.