ROCKINGHAM — An in-home caregiver is facing more than 150 criminal charges, accused of stealing thousands of dollars from a client.
The Richmond County Sheriff’s Office has charged 68-year-old Sallie Jean Patterson, of Rockingham, with: 59 counts each of obtaining property by false pretenses and uttering a forged instrument; 56 counts of larceny of chose in action; and one count of exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult.
A review of several of the warrants shows that Patterson allegedly wrote checks from the victim’s account and forged the victim’s signature. One warrant shows the value of the funds, assets and property was $49,665.25.
According to the sheriff’s office, investigators with the Financial Crimes Division have been looking into the case since October of 2024.
Warrants were issued on Jan. 26 and records show Patterson was arrested Jan. 29. She was given a $100,000 secured bond, which was posted the same day. Her next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 12.
"I will not tolerate criminals who exploit our elderly population or threaten their financial security," Sheriff Mark Gulledge said in a Jan. 29 press release on the RCSO Facebook page. "This case highlights the value of dedicating investigators to specialized crime areas so they can concentrate on challenging, long-term investigations."
All defendants facing criminal charges are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
