ST. LOUIS, MO. — A Georgia woman who targeted a 74-year-old widower living in a nursing home and took control of his finances was sentenced Tuesday, the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Eastern District of Missouri announced.
Shanita Gray, 52, of Georgia, was sentenced to 100 months behind bars after a judge found she exploited the man’s vulnerability, forged legal documents, and stole $453,000 meant to support him and his family. She was also ordered to repay the stolen money and was taken into custody immediately.
U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp compared Gray to a shark that sensed a vulnerable victim and took full advantage “with the relentless desire to fulfill your greed.” He said she continued to lie even after pleading guilty to her crime by falsely claiming that a bogus power of attorney was legitimate. She has also filed complaints and lawsuits against those who tried to stop the fraud. “You’ll say and do whatever it takes to benefit yourself,” he told Gray…