Attorney General Gordon J. MacDonald announces that Jerry Newton, age 54, of Hillsborough, was found guilty by a Hillsborough County Superior Court (Northern District) jury yesterday on 3 counts of financial exploitation of an elderly adult, in violation of RSA 631:9 and RSA 631:10. The jury acquitted Mr. Newton of 1 count of financial exploitation of an elderly adult.

In July 2016, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) received a referral from the New Hampshire Bureau of Elderly and Adult Services, which alleged that Mr. Newton financially exploited his mother by unlawfully taking money from her and using it for his own benefit. An investigation conducted by the MFCU revealed that, while serving as agent under his mother's power of attorney and trustee under a family trust, he took more than $300,000 for his own benefit.

As a result of the investigation, Mr. Newton was indicted on 4 Class A Felony counts of financially exploiting his mother. On July 19, 2018, a jury found the defendant guilty on 3 counts for unlawfully taking: (1) $227,460.94 from an individual retirement account listing his mother as the beneficiary; (2) $73,759.83 from his mother's personal checking account; and (3) $22,168.14 from the sale of family trust property.

Mr. Newton was also indicted for taking $4,987.05 from 2 checks payable to his mother. The jury found him not guilty on this count.

The maximum penalty for each conviction is 7½ to 15 years in the New Hampshire State Prison and/or a $4,000 fine. A sentencing hearing is scheduled for September 7, 2018.