Charles City man accused of stealing thousands from his dependent grandmother sentenced to probation

CHARLES CITY — A Charles City man accused of stealing money from his dependent grandmother has been sentenced to probation.

A criminal complaint stated that 33-year-old Casey Olson was the power of attorney for his grandmother who is a resident of a local nursing home. From October 2020 to March of last year, Olson is accused of withdrawing approximately $15,000 from her bank account, as well as cashing in certificates of deposit that were valued at around $17,000.

The complaint says he wrote checks and used a debit card for numerous personal items for himself, while his grandmother only gave him permission to pay her few bills, utilities and taxes. Those bills were estimated at about $500 a month while the taxes were just under $500.

Olson was charged with first-degree theft, a Class C felony punishable by up to ten years, as well as dependent adult abuse by exploitation, a Class D felony punishable by up to five years.

As part of a plea agreement with prosecutors, Olson pleaded guilty in November to the dependent adult abuse charge with the first-degree theft charge being dismissed. Prosecutors in the plea agreement recommended a suspended five-year prison sentence, three years probation and payment of just under $37,000 in restitution.

That recommendation was accepted by District Judge DeDra Schroeder this week during a sentencing hearing in Floyd County District Court.