More charges in Batavia assisted living center thefts, forgeries
When Batavia police last December arrested a 19-year-old caretaker at an assisted living facility and charged her with forging a $1,000 check from a resident, authorities had believed allegations were from a one-time offense.
But in days and weeks after Teejana S. Perry, of the 29W400 block of Hawthorne Lane, Warrenville, was arrested, more people called police and management at Heritage Woods, Batavia Police Detective Kevin Bretz said.
“There's a total of five victims,” Bretz said. “The manager of Heritage Woods contacted us when (victims) started noticing discrepancies.”
According to court records, authorities on Wednesday charged Perry with an additional 12 felony counts of forgery, theft over $500 and financial exploitation of an elderly person. All of the charged offenses occurred Nov. 25, 2012, records show.
Bretz could not immediately specify how much money Perry is accused of stealing.
Police originally charged Perry with financial exploitation of an elderly person, forgery and theft of a resident Nov. 20, 2012.
Marcy LoDolce, administrator at Heritage Woods, said Perry has been fired from her position at the facility, 1079 E. Wilson St., but declined to specify when Perry was terminated.
“We do not hire known felons. We do background checks and fingerprinting and she passed all that,” said LoDolce, who declined additional comment.
Perry is due in court again Feb. 21 and each felony carries a penalty of up to five years in prison, but probation, fines and community service also are options.
“In (Perry's) mind, she needed money and this was the most convenient way to get it,” Bretz said. “We thought after the first one, this was it. We're hoping we get no more calls and this is as far as it goes.”