A 53-year-old Ocala man who became an elderly woman’s power of attorney is facing several felony charges after he allegedly stole more than $16,000 from her.
Last month, an Ocala Police Department detective began investigating a case involving an elderly female victim in her 90s. According to OPD, the victim had been behind on her rent payments since July of 2023.
Investigators learned that a man, identified as Jose Luis Ortiz Garcia, had recently moved in with the victim. Prior to residing with the victim, Ortiz Garcia had lived a few houses away, and the two of them did not previously know each other, according to OPD.
OPD stated that in January of 2023, the victim signed a power of attorney document designating Ortiz Garcia as her agent. However, the victim believed that the legal document was for medical purposes, not financial matters.
According to police, investigators gathered evidence indicating that Ortiz Garcia had mismanaged the victim’s finances, leading to unpaid rent and utility bills, as well as other unauthorized charges from her account.
Investigators were informed that automatic payments had been originally set up for the victim’s bills. A review of the victim’s bank statements revealed “several unauthorized transactions that were not done by the victim,” including restaurant payments, ATM withdrawals, convenience store purchases, CashApp transactions, and cellphone bill payments, according to OPD.
“Each monthly bank statement showed that the victim’s account was in the negative early into each month,” stated OPD in a social media post.
Based on Ortiz Garcia allegedly removing automatic payments from the victim’s accounts, not paying or attempting to pay her monthly bills, and using over $16,500 from the victim’s bank account for his personal benefit, OPD determined that there was probable cause for Ortiz Garcia’s arrest.
On Tuesday, February 13, Ortiz Garcia was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held on $5,000 bond. He is being charged with exploitation of the elderly (over $10,000 but less than $50,000), grand theft (over $10,000 but less than $20,000), and fraudulent use of personal identification without consent.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.
“If you or someone you know has had interactions with Jose Ortiz Garcia concerning financial management or power of attorney arrangements, we urge you to come forward,” stated OPD on social media. “Contact our detectives today at 352-369-7000 to report any relevant information.”