Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department detectives arrested a Tennessee man Wednesday after he stole almost $20,000 from an elderly Kosciusko County resident.
KCSD detectives returned Wednesday from Tennessee after arresting a subject that stole between $15,000 to 20,000 in the last 12 months from an elderly Mentone woman.
Brian Eric Schendel, 37, Oak Ridge, Tenn., was preliminarily charged with felony exploitation of an endangered adult more than 60 years of age Wednesday afternoon.
KCSD detectives stated that during August 2011, Schendel sold an automobile to a 79-year-old woman. Schendel maintained contact with the buyer, and stated that he had been in the military, was injured, and needed money.
Playing on the victim’s kindness, Schendel was able to coerce the elderly female into sending him cash and money orders over that past year to locations in Mississippi and Tennessee.
Information was subsequently provided to KCSD detectives of this. The detectives initiated an investigation this summer into Schendel’s involvement.
Detectives were finally able to track Schendel to the Oak Ridge, Tenn., area, although he had used another alias in that community.
Officers from the Oak Ridge Police Department were able to take Schendel into custody until KCSD detectives were able to fly to Tennessee and retrieve him Wednesday.
Schendel is currently in Kosciusko County Jail with a $5,000 bond. The Kosciusko County Prosecutor’s Office also assisted KCSD detectives with the investigation and the issuance of the warrant for Schendel’s arrest.
