She should get 20 years in prison, awful

[Tvflguy]

News.


$104,372 drained from 98-year-old Villager’s bank account by her granddaughter

February 5, 2022


A 98-year-old resident of The Villages was shocked to learn that her bank account had been drained of $104,372 by her granddaughter.

Jessica Leigh Lewis, 35, was arrested this past week on a felony warrant charging her with theft from a person over the age of 65. Lewis was released from a Florida prison and moved in with her grandmother on the Historic Side of The Villages. In addition to a previous grand theft conviction, Lewis served time on multiple drug charges.

The elderly woman went to Sun Trust Bank to cash her Social Security check but was told there were not sufficient funds in her account, according to an affidavit of probable cause from the Lady Lake Police Department. The Villager discovered Lewis had been making withdrawals from the account using an ATM card she had given to Lewis. The withdrawals ranged from $221.81 to $30,557.

The grandmother ordered Lewis to leave her home. Among the items Lewis’ left behind were letters from the bank which Lewis had intercepted and not shown to her grandmother.Lewis had linked her PayPal account to her grandmother’s bank acount.
Lewis also used money from the bank account to pay for phone calls to her boyfriend, 40-year-old Jermaine Harvard of Eustis, who has been held since August at the Marion County Jail on a federal drug charge. Lewis also put money in Harvard’s commissary account at the jail.

Lewis was booked at the Lake County Jail on $15,000 bond.

[retiredguy123]

I agree, but she won't. One problem seems to be that the grandmother gave her an ATM card.

[New Englander]

She did this to her own grandmother. So sickening and sad.

[Stu from NYC]

What a horrible thing to do

[fdpaq0580]

When I hear things like this I can't help thinking that some individuals are totally irretrievable. Lock up, throw away the key.

Grandmother must be totally heartbroken.

[Chi-Town]

Grandmother gave her a place to live after serving a prison sentence. Some thank you. The granddaughter will hopefully be a prison to prison pen pal with her incarcerated boyfriend.

[Taltarzac725]

Exploitation of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult in Florida (https://www.richardhornsby.com/crimes/fraud/exploitation-of-elderly-person-or-disabled-adult.html#:~:text=It%20is%20unlawful%20to%20explo it,funds%2C%20assets%2C%20or%20property).

She could get 30 years.

[Madelaine Amee]

Awful rotten thing to do, but if the Grandmother had had the money invested the Granddauhter would not have been able to touch it.

My Broker would not release any of our investments without knowing it was agreed to by one of us. $104K+ is too much money to have in a bank account.

[retiredguy123]

Exploitation of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult in Florida (https://www.richardhornsby.com/crimes/fraud/exploitation-of-elderly-person-or-disabled-adult.html#:~:text=It%20is%20unlawful%20to%20explo it,funds%2C%20assets%2C%20or%20property).

She could get 30 years.
I'm not a lawyer, but it appears that, if the grandmother gave her an ATM card with permission to withdraw money for the granddaughter's use, that statute would not apply. In any event, I would be surprised if the granddaughter ever serves more than a year in prison. Very sad.

[Taltarzac725]

I'm not a lawyer, but it appears that, if the grandmother gave her an ATM card with permission to withdraw money for the granddaughter's use, that statute would not apply. In any event, I would be surprised if the granddaughter ever serves more than a year in prison. Very sad.

What Do You Have to Prove in Cases of Financial Elder Abuse? - Steve Watrel, P.A. | Accident & Injury Law (https://www.stevewatrel.com/what-do-you-have-to-prove-in-cases-of-financial-elder-abuse/)

It looks like the granddaughter's position of trust in the eyes of her grandmother would make this worse.

I do have a law degree but am not licensed to practice law in FL.

[retiredguy123]

What Do You Have to Prove in Cases of Financial Elder Abuse? - Steve Watrel, P.A. | Accident & Injury Law (https://www.stevewatrel.com/what-do-you-have-to-prove-in-cases-of-financial-elder-abuse/)

It looks like the granddaughter's position of trust in the eyes of her grandmother would make this worse.

I do have a law degree but am not licensed to practice law in FL.
I hope she gets 30 years. The media likes to report on people getting arrested, but they rarely follow up on the trial, sentence, or plea bargain. She took over $100K, but only had to post a $15K bond. Probably paid a bail bondsman $1,500. I hope she didn't use the ATM card.

[Bilyclub]

I hope she gets 30 years. The media likes to report on people getting arrested, but they rarely follow up on the trial, sentence, or plea bargain. She took over $100K, but only had to post a $15K bond. Probably paid a bail bondsman $1,500. I hope she didn't use the ATM card.

The online rag, while vindictive and vicious, always publishes follow-ups on arrestee's cases.

[Gpsma]

Grandma was an enabler and deserved what happened.

[Taltarzac725]

Grandma was an enabler and deserved what happened.

She could have dementia or Alzheimer's or some other problem with her health.

[Topspinmo]

So, this something new here in villages? what lesson did we learn here for the future? If you got jailbird drug addict relative don’t give them access to bank account. But, I’m willing to out in limb here and say 99.99999% of us know that.

[fdpaq0580]

So, this something new here in villages? what lesson did we learn here for the future? If you got jailbird drug addict relative don’t give them access to bank account. But, I’m willing to out in limb here and say 99.99999% of us know that.

So very true. But love for a child, grandchild or other family member often overrules logic and reason, leading to these very sad stories. One can only hope the court will throw the book at offenders like this.

[Topspinmo]

So very true. But love for a child, grandchild or other family member often overrules logic and reason, leading to these very sad stories. One can only hope the court will throw the book at offenders like this.

Agree, but Bet she will get off light. Especially in Sumter county. At least historic side in lake county.

[MACH7SS]

Grandma was an enabler and deserved what happened.

No one deserves to be robbed no matter what!

[Petersweeney]

The mother is nowhere to be found and probably dead so the granddaughter will probably get the house since granny is not on the ball with a will….poor neighbors…

[Malsua]

No one deserves to be robbed no matter what!

I dunno. I think the woman that stole the money deserves to be burgled of her purloined funds.

Considering she's living with granny at 35 and needs to steal 100k, one can make assumptions that the funds are headed straight south into a cartel's pocket, so that's another group worthy of being robbed.

[Bridget Staunton]

GPSMA Member:
That is a cruel statement, it cannot have come from your heart

[chenault55]

Grandma was an enabler and deserved what happened.

She is 98 years old! It was her granddaughter not a stranger and you nor I have any idea what mental state she was in. That comment was so unnecessary. Not much I hear shocks me but the callousness of your remark sure did. If that was the purpose then congratulations!

[Rooklift]

Perhaps someone that knows the grandmothers information can set up a givesendgo money raise for the grandmother

[spd2918]

The theif will get off light. She will claim its due to her addiction and women traditionally get lighter sentences than men in the US for the same crimes.

People that think drugs should all be legalized ignore what drugs to do people (and yes, its a choice).

[OhioBuckeye]

You know this granddaughter was born as a very innocent baby, she must of had a great teacher to teach her to steal from her little old grandma. Remember you’re born innocent but she had a very good teacher or upbringing to learn how to be a thief. I pat grandma on the back for pressing charges!

[GOLFER54]

The old saying goes in this case,
‘ YOU KNEW I WAS A SNAKE WHEN YOU TOOK ME IN ‘

[DAVES]

News.


$104,372 drained from 98-year-old Villager’s bank account by her granddaughter

February 5, 2022


A 98-year-old resident of The Villages was shocked to learn that her bank account had been drained of $104,372 by her granddaughter.

Jessica Leigh Lewis, 35, was arrested this past week on a felony warrant charging her with theft from a person over the age of 65. Lewis was released from a Florida prison and moved in with her grandmother on the Historic Side of The Villages. In addition to a previous grand theft conviction, Lewis served time on multiple drug charges.

The elderly woman went to Sun Trust Bank to cash her Social Security check but was told there were not sufficient funds in her account, according to an affidavit of probable cause from the Lady Lake Police Department. The Villager discovered Lewis had been making withdrawals from the account using an ATM card she had given to Lewis. The withdrawals ranged from $221.81 to $30,557.

The grandmother ordered Lewis to leave her home. Among the items Lewis’ left behind were letters from the bank which Lewis had intercepted and not shown to her grandmother.Lewis had linked her PayPal account to her grandmother’s bank acount.
Lewis also used money from the bank account to pay for phone calls to her boyfriend, 40-year-old Jermaine Harvard of Eustis, who has been held since August at the Marion County Jail on a federal drug charge. Lewis also put money in Harvard’s commissary account at the jail.

Lewis was booked at the Lake County Jail on $15,000 bond.


"Should get 20 years." There is a difference between right, wrong and legal. There has been endless debate if the goal of our criminal system is to punish or reform the criminal. When, it is YOU or YOURS damaged by a criminal as in my sister's case, your view of PROPER JUSTICE changes when it is YOUR REALITY.

There has been TALK, about setting up a fund, perhaps funded by assets taken from criminals to restore people damaged by criminals. In this case, under our legal system, since the money was spent on drugs, there is no money to recover. It does not sound like this will, can, end well

[Dlbonivich]

How do you get $30,000 with an atm card?

[retiredguy123]

How do you get $30,000 with an atm card?
The ATM machine has limits on daily withdrawals. But, if you take the ATM card into the bank, I think the teller or branch manager can allow you to withdraw any amount that is in the account, with proper identification.

[JohnnaD]

This Jessica Lewis had been arrested in May 2018 for beating her twin infants! I'm too new to post links but if you google this: Injuries to young child traced back to home of 94-year-old great-grandmother in The Villages, you will see what she did.

Clearly just a drug addicted waste of life!

[Heytubes]

And I wonder why the bank didn’t call her instead of sending letters.

[Two Bills]

Grandma was an enabler and deserved what happened.

That remark reflects more on you, than the target of your bile.
You should be ashamed.

[OhioBuckeye]

You’re right, I just paid cash for a new 2021 Ford Edge & & yes you have to have a teller give you that much. But I don’t think the person said they got $30,000. from a ATM machine!

[OhioBuckeye]

You know if this adult granddaughter would of just waited until her elderly 98 yr. old sweet grandmother passed, which she was probably going to pass away probably pretty soon. Maybe she would of got it willed to her. Yes, sometime in life she wasn’t taught about right from wrong!

[lisarenee523]

My heart hurts for the Grandmother as well. She is not only heartbroken, but confused, angry, now trying to figure out how to pay bills, etc. Bless her heart. So sad.

[bagboy]

:clap2:That remark reflects more on you, than the target of your bile.
You should be ashamed.

:clap2:

[JohnnaD]

Drug addicts don't think logically. They just think about the drugs they want now!

[lisarenee523]

And she's smirking in her mug shot! I hope she gets locked up, and serves several years...AND the Grandmother has changed her Will, and donates everything, well, heartbreakingly, whatever is left.

She was arrested on May 21, 2018, for aggravated child abuse (First Degree Felony) in Lady Lake County, then arrested the very next day for Child abuse & Domestic abuse in Lake County.

https://www.**************.com/2022/02/05/104372-drained-from-98-year-old-villagers-bank-account-by-her-granddaughter/