Financial exploitation of elderly charges dropped
UPDATE: The charges were dropped in October 2018.
A Maries County man has been charged with theft and stealing after Vienna police received reports of financial exploitation of an elderly or disabled person.
According to the probable cause statement, the victim had issued a check to Ezekiel Young, operator of Gateway Construction, LLC, in the amount of $2,940 to pave her driveway.
The victim told police Young never arrived to complete the paving service.
Police said the victim provided notes that documented 10 telephone and attempted telephone contacts with Young.
A month after Young promised to complete the pavement, he promised to return the funds, but failed to do so, police said.
The victim filed a complaint with the Missouri Attorney General's Office Fraud Division regarding the incident.
According to the probable cause statement, attempts to contact Young by telephone were unsuccessful.
Police said Young has a lengthy history of arrests in Missouri, Mississippi and Texas for crimes that included stealing and exploitation of elderly or disabled persons.
Young is also charged in Audrain and Young for similar incidents.
According to the probable cause statement out of Audrain County, Young gave a check for $22,000 to a victim for a car.
Young also wanted a trailer from the same victim and gave him a check $2,500.
When the victim tried to cash the checks, they were returned due to insufficient funds.
Deputies said when they asked Young about the incident, he said he raced the car and found it to be slower than advertised, so he didn't want to pay the full price for the vehicle.
Young said he wanted to make an agreement with the victim to pay less money, police said.
The address for Young matches the address for Gateway Construction. The company has a 1.4 star rating out of 5 and is not accredited by the Better Business Bureau.
