JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A 17-year-old from Jacksonville is facing exploitation charges after he allegedly offered to clean the driveway of a 79-year-old Middleburg man before taking him to three separate banks to withdraw over $10,000.
News4JAX is choosing not to identify the teen due to the nature of his charges and will only refer to the victim by his first name to protect his safety.
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Police reports reveal that the situation began on Wednesday, around 3:45 p.m., when officers received reports of fraud being committed at a VyStar Credit Union on 8425 Merchants Way.
Officers noted that a white GMC Sierra left its parking spot as police arrived. An employee at the bank then told police that the vehicle belonged to the suspect.
After catching up with the GMC Sierra, officers managed to stop the vehicle and remove the 17-year-old suspect who was driving. The teen was detained, along with his brother who was in the backseat.
Two bank employees then explained to police that a 79-year-old man named Don had entered the bank around 2 p.m. to withdraw $13,000 in cash. Because of his age, the bank asked him questions to ensure that he wasn’t being taken advantage of, the report states.
He then told the bank that he was taking the money out to have his driveway sprayed. The bank quickly learned that Don had completed two previous withdrawals that day, each worth $5,000, at two other VyStar locations on Blanding Boulevard.
Don also explained to the employees that he was being driven around in the GMC Sierra to each bank.
Officers then began speaking with Don, who informed them that he was at his home when the 17-year-old suspect approached him about driveway work, even volunteering to drive him to multiple banks to collect the money because he cannot drive.
Don also told police that he had trouble remembering things, with the report noting that he was unsure how much money he had agreed to give the suspect for work on his driveway, and appeared to be “struggling mentally” while recounting events, which police described as exhibiting signs of dementia.
Then, Don’s daughter arrived on scene and told officers that her father had been forgetful and “having trouble of late processing information.” She said he has not been clinically diagnosed with dementia, but planned to take him for evaluation after the incident.
The report lists additional interviews with the suspect’s brother, who was at one point treated as a suspect; however, he was later picked up at the scene by his mother while officers explained the situation.
A towing service arrived later to recover the GMC Sierra, and officers returned $10,000 to Don, according to the report.
The suspect also faces two charges related to his South Carolina driver’s permit being suspended, and was taken to the pre-trial detention facility without incident.