NEW BOSTON, Texas–A man who allegedly “borrowed” hundreds of dollars from elderly residents of an area assisted living center where he was working in maintenance was arrested on multiple felony charges last week and is being held with bonds totaling nearly half a million dollars.
In addition to multiple charges of exploitation of the elderly, James Milton Guyton, 64, is also accused of theft in connection with a power wheelchair worth $3,000 which he allegedly pawned at a business in Texarkana, Arkansas, and which had been donated to the Autumn Wind Assisted Living Center in New Boston by the family of a former patient.
An 89-year-old resident of Autumn Wind allegedly told investigators that Guyton had come into her room on April 11 and asked to “borrow” $200, which she agreed to do “in her vulnerable state.”
A 72-year-old resident reported that Guyton had borrowed $200 from her in February “because his wife was sick,” and that on other occasions he’d taken her debit card and made purchases with it. Guyton allegedly “gave excuses” when asked to pay the money back.
An 81-year-old man told investigators that he’d loaned Guyton $120 because Guyton told him his bank accounts were frozen and that he’d never paid the money back. An 88-year-old Autumn Hill resident reported that Guyton had borrowed $450 from him in March and April that had never been repaid.
Guyton allegedly accepted money from at least one of the residents – some of whom are on fixed incomes – for work around the resident’s room that was included in his job duties and for which he was being paid by the nursing home.
Guyton’s bond on each of the four exploitation charges has been set at $100,000 and bond on the theft charge has been set at $20, for a total bond of $420,000.
If convicted of exploitation, Guyton faces two ten years in prison on each count. If found guilty of theft, he faces six months to two years in a state jail.
