Crime & Safety

Senior Embezzler Sentenced to Prison for 'Inconcievable' Crime

A 52-year-old Livonia woman was sentenced Wednesday to a maximum of 10 years in prison by Macomb Circuit Court Judge Edward Servitto.

A Macomb Circuit Court judge sentenced a former home health care worker Wednesday to a maximum of 10 years in prison for embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from an elderly St. Clair Shores man.

Judge Edward Servitto exceeded the recommended sentence to send Fredine Walker to prison for embezzling the life savings of William Abke to purchase clothes and other items in a crime he called "inconceivable."

"I can't give any sympathy, I have none for you. You have to go to prison," said Servitto, who exceed the recommended one year in jail and six months probation. "There is nothing more horrendous than taking advantage of somebody in these circumstances."

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Walker, 52, pleaded guilty to two counts of embezzlement of a vulnerable adult. She and co-defendant Kellie Todd were caretakers accused of stealing more than a combined total of $80,000 from William Abke, a 73-year-old wheelchair-bound resident who is suffering from dementia.

Todd, who is charged with one count of embezzlement of a vulnerable adult, has a pretrial conference March 26 in Macomb Circuit Court.

Find out what's happening in St. Clair Shoreswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Her attorney said that Walker made a "bad mistake," but is attending school to receive her PHD and intends on paying the family back.

"She takes full responsibility for her conduct. She realizes she took from an individual who is elderly," said defense attorney Lowell Friedman. "She just simply made a bad mistake."

A tearful Walker apologized to the court and family.

"What I did was wrong," she said. "I am really sorry."

While Walker and her attorney apologized for her actions, the victim's son described to the court the financial hardships the embezzlement of funds from his father's checking account, savings account and credit cards have caused.

He is currently living off Social Security and a small pension from Sears, where he sold shoes and appliances.

"Over $150,000 in cash was withdrawn from Chase Bank to never be seen again," said Paul Abke, who added that statements were hidden and check registered were altered to hide the embezzlement. "This was not some petty crime or gifts for my father."

Abke asked the judge to give Walker the maximum jail time and full restitution to "use this opportunity to send a message to others working in the home health care field that is not acceptable."


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