Two people are accused by police of taking $40,000 from an elderly man who has memory issues after claiming they needed the cash to stay out of jail and pay child support, according to Westmoreland County detectives.
Jordan Johnson, 35, was arrested Monday on accusations of financial exploitation of an older adult, criminal mischief, solicitation, and conspiracy. In court documents, he provided addresses in West Newton and Donora.
Emma Harbaugh Walker, 32, of West Newton, faces the same accusations and has been issued an arrest warrant.
According to court documents, the 77-year-old man was their landlord in an apartment in West Newton, and Johnson and Harbaugh Walker frequently drove him to ATMs to withdraw cash. A caregiver with access to the bank accounts told authorities in March that he had noted several withdrawals over the past year, including 68 between Jan. 26 and March 14, totaling $12,000.
According to court documents, detectives studied text messages in which the suspects asked for money.
After both were evicted for failing to pay rent for three years, authorities discovered garbage, animal feces, and broken appliances and furniture in the apartment.
“It was clear that Johnson and Harbaugh Walker intentionally vandalized the apartment,” Detective Francesco Rosato Jr. stated in the complaint.
Johnson was being jailed at the Westmoreland County Prison on a $30,000 bail. He did not have an attorney listed in the online court records. A preliminary hearing has been set for August 17.
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