September 6, 2005

Contact: Lisa Curtis, 720-913-9178 

MAN ARRESTED IN DOOR-TO-DOOR SCHEMES ON ELDERLY VICTIMS

Accomplices Wanted on Arrest Warrants

Augustine Hernandez was arrested by Denver Police under a warrant issued by Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey on September 2.  He is being held on a $75,000 bond.  Arrest warrants for alleged accomplices, Apolinar and John Hernandez were issued today.

Hernandez, 27, has been charged with two counts of Theft, two counts of Theft from an At-Risk Victim, and three counts of forgery for allegedly preying on elderly women.

The warrant alleges that Hernandez and two accomplices approached an 83-year-old Denver woman and a 91-year-old Lakewood woman to do lawn care and tree trimming in July and August of this year.  Hernandez allegedly deceived one victim into giving him another check as “my baby ate the check,” but actually cashed both checks for $500.  In the other case, Hernandez preyed on the victim’s memory loss, allegedly returning several times to get more checks.  Because this victim had shaky handwriting, she often left the amount of the checks blank.  The warrant alleges some of the victim’s checks were also stolen from her checkbook.  Total loss to this victim is over $10,000.

Neighbors of the Lakewood victim report Hernandez passed out flyers advertising low cost landscaping such as cement repair and tree trimming.  Denver District Attorney Mitch Morrissey requests that any other victims of Hernandez call his Economic Crime Unit at 720-913-9179.  

Morrissey warns older adults to keep their doors locked at all times, and to not hire strangers appearing at their homes.  “Our mothers taught us not to talk to strangers, and that advice still holds true today,” Morrissey advises.

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