FOUR PEOPLE, INCLUDING A NEW YORK CITY CORRECTION OFFICER, HAVE BEEN CHARGED WITH LOOTING MORE THAN $170,000 FROM AN ELDERLY WOMAN’S BANK ACCOUNT

Bronx District Attorney Robert T. Johnson announced today that four people have been arrested on charges of grand larceny and other offenses for allegedly stealing more than $170,000 from the bank account of an 84 year old resident of Parkchester.

The arrests were the result of a three month investigation initiated by the Bronx District Attorney’s Office when bank officials became suspicious of transactions involving the victim’s account.

The defendants are identified as Jacqueline Bowen, 38, a Nurses Aide, receiving workers compensation, of 1366 Manor Avenue, the Bronx, Nicole Ford, 32, a New York City Correction Officer, of 635 Commonwealth Avenue, the Bronx, Maurice Gilliard, 35, a former New York City Correction Officer, and Malcolm Gilliard, 35, a Postal worker, both of 34-17 105th Street, Corona, Queens. All four defendants have been charged with Grand larceny in the 3rd degree, a Class D felony offense punishable by a maximum sentence of up to seven years imprisonment. Additional charges of Grand larceny in the 2nd degree, Criminal Possession of Stolen Property in the 2nd degree, Criminal Possession of a Forged Instrument 2nd degree, Forgery in the 2nd degree, and Attempted Grand Larceny in the 3rd degree have been filed against Bowen, the alleged architect of the scam. If convicted of the most serious charge Bowen could be sentenced to a term of up to 15 years imprisonment.

The scheme was set into motion sometime before April 1, 2001 when Bowen befriended 84 year old Adele Carson, who was then a patient at Montefiore Hospital. Bowen ran errands for the victim and kept her company. It is alleged that the elderly victim was persuaded to add the defendant’s name to her account at a nearby Emigrant Savings Bank branch. According to bank officials, Bowen claimed to be the victim’s niece. It is alleged that checks payable to three of the defendants were drawn on the victim’s bank account between April 2001 and February 2002. Bowen was caught when she tried to deposit a counterfeit check from ACS Systems & Engineering Inc. of Virginia, into Carson’s checking account.

The investigation by the District Attorney’s Office uncovered checks written payable to Ford in the amount of $27,600 with notations in the memo portion of the checks, for visiting nurse services, and the parking violations bureau. Maurice Gilliard received $61,075 with memo notations for loans, and house repairs. After Carson’s account was closed, a check in the amount of $8,500 was deposited into Malcom Gilliard’s account and $7,927.24 was withdrawn from his account at an Independence Bank branch in Queens. Bowen had checks and cash totaling $87,650.

Mr. Johnson thanked Emigrant and Independence Savings Banks, for their help with this case. Mr. Johnson also acknowledged the hard work of Richard Baker, Bureau Chief of the Arson / Auto / Economic Crime Unit, Stephen Bookin, Bureau Chief of Investigations, and Andrew Kampel, Supervising Assistant District Attorney. Also participating in the investigation was Bronx District Attorney’s Detective Investigations Unit, Chief Stephen Nasta, Deputy Chief Detective Investigator Frank Chiara, Lieutenant Frank Thorp, Senior Detective Investigator Vincent Cantarella, Senior Detective Investigator Peter Moro, and Chief Financial Investigator Julio Santiago.

Assistant District Attorney Pamela Brown is prosecuting this case.