Atlanta Woman Arrested for Alleged Exploitation of her Grandmother

Atlanta woman, Quanicia Wilson has been arrested on the following charges:

• Racketeering in Georgia
• Fraud in Georgia
• Exploitation of an Elder Person in Georgia

Wilson has been accused of setting up her grandmother, Beatrice MacIntyre and stealing her Medicaid checks. She was indicted on multiple charges and according to reports, stole more than $20,000 in a time period of 16 months.

As a Georgia Criminal Defense Lawyer, I will outline the one of the offenses faced by Wilson in today's post.

Exploitation and Intimidation of Elder Persons in Georgia

The Georgia Code defines Exploitation and Intimidation of Elder Persons in Georgia as:

When a person:

1. Knowingly and willfully exploiting a disabled adult, elder person, or resident;
2. Willfully inflicting physical pain, physical injury, sexual abuse, mental anguish, or unreasonable confinement upon a disabled adult, elder person, or resident;
3. Willfully depriving a disabled adult, elder person, or resident of essential services. 

Another way a suspect can violate the statute is by threatening, intimidating, or attempting to intimidate a disabled adult or elder person who is the subject of an investigation. It is also a crime to knowingly and willfully obstruct or in any way impede an investigation. O.C.G.A. §16-5-102.

If convicted of exploitation and intimidation of elder persons, the offense is classified as a felony. The penalty can include a prison sentence between one and twenty years or a fine of no more than $50,000.00, or both prison and a fine.

Practice Note

Elderly people tend to need a lot of help as they get older. Unfortunately, with their needs increasing, the chances of them getting taken advantage of are also increasing. 

Georgia has different laws that attempt to protect elderly citizens. This is a good policy - however, it doesn't mean that mean are not wrongfully accused of committing these crimes. The good news is that there are Georgia Criminal Defenses that can defend against a wrongful accusation. 

If you or a loved one has been arrested, contact a Georgia Criminal Defense Attorney.