Sarasota News Leader

06/28/2013

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Sarasota News Leader June 28, 2013 Page 67 WOMAN CHARGED WITH STEALING FROM DISABLED CLIENT The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested Michele Whitehead, 59, of 1509 Overbrook Road, Englewood, for allegedly stealing thousands of dollars from a disabled client who hired Whitehead to prepare her taxes. The 60-year-old victim lives in St. Petersburg and has chronic health problems that render her bedridden and cause her to be frequently hospitalized, the report says. The victim hired Whitehead in August 2011 to file two years of tax returns for her because she thought Whitehead was a CPA, the report adds. The victim said she gave Whitehead a $2,400 retainer, agreed to pay $15 an hour for work exceeding that amount and gave Whitehead durable power of attorney, the report notes. However, detectives learned that Whitehead stopped bank statements from being delivered to the victim's home, and over a period of a year made seven wire transfers from the victim's account totaling more than $7,200, the report says. Invoices for the tax preparation totaled just $708.75. Michele Whitehead/Contributed photo Whitehead is charged with Exploitation of a Disabled Adult and Grand Theft for exploiting the trust and breaching the fiduciary duty of the power of attorney. FINGERPRINTS ON SOFT DRINK CONTAINER LEAD TO SUSPECT'S ARREST The Sarasota County Sheriff's Office has arrested James Hunter Santo, 27 — whose last known address was 8503 Alam Ave., North Port — for two crimes, thanks to fingerprints he left behind on a 7-Up can in the most recent case, the office has reported. an on Lord Street in Englewood, a Sheriff's Office report says. Deputies discovered the suspect left a soda can on the workbench in the victim's garage before he allegedly used a chisel to pry open the door to the home and steal items from the living room, Early Tuesday morning, June 18, someone kitchen and bedroom as the victim slept, acbroke into the home of a 91-year-old wom- cording to the report.

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