Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald announces the indictment of Jerry Newton, age 53, of Hillsborough, for the financial exploitation of his elderly mother.

Newton was indicted on 4 counts of financial exploitation of an elderly, disabled or impaired adult. The indictments allege that Newton, having a power of attorney for his mother, misappropriated funds that should have been used for her sole benefit. The total amount of the alleged theft is $328,375.96. The timeframe of the theft spanned from September 2015 through August 2016.

New Hampshire law RSA 631:9 provides that any person, in a breach of fiduciary obligation, who takes either temporarily or permanently the property or financial resources of the elderly, for the benefit of someone other than the elderly, is guilty of financial exploitation. For the purpose of this statute, a person is considered "elderly" if they are 60 years of age or older. The maximum penalty for each indictment is 7 ½ to 15 years in the New Hampshire State Prison and/or a fine of $4,000.

The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit of the Attorney General's Office is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of health care providers accused of defrauding New Hampshire's Medicaid program. In addition, the unit investigates and prosecutes allegations of abuse, neglect and exploitation of those who reside in board and care facilities. If you or someone you know has been the victim of elder abuse or exploitation, please contact your local police department or the Department of Health and Human Services, Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services at 1-800-949-0470.

The charges and allegations in the indictments are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.