Caregivers allegedly duped elderly woman into buying used car, police say

Investigators with the police department’s Special Victims Unit arrested two men accused of duping an elderly woman into buying a used car.

28-year-old Javier Maldonado and 38-year-old Jason Arellanez are charged with “Securing Execution of Document by Deception.”

Maldonado was the 67-year-old victim’s caregiver and was often assisted by Arellanez in caring for the victim, police said.

On March 19, 2016, Maldonado and Arellanez went to a local automobile dealership and allegedly duped the staff into believing the victim was their grandmother.

Police said the men selected a 2015 Nissan Sentra with a value of more than $22,000 for purchase. Maldonado and Arellanez then allegedly convinced the victim the car was for one of her close relatives.

Due to what investigators described as a “condition,” the woman was unable to process the information, police said. An investigation allegedly revealed Maldonado and Arellanez lied to the dealership and to the lending institution to secure the vehicle.

Detectives secured arrest warrants and the men were located by the U.S. Marshal’s Lone Star Fugitive Task Force.

Maldonado and Arellanez were arrested and booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility on $35,000 bond each.