Former Bank Teller Sentenced to Jail for Stealing Elderly Woman's Money for Personal Shopping

NEVADA – Alexus M. Espitia, a former bank teller, has been sentenced to nine months in jail and ordered to pay over $25,000 in restitution after pleading no contest to the exploitation of an elderly person.

Espitia was accused of forging over a dozen checks on the account of a handicapped woman she befriended, cashing them at another bank, and using her debit or ATM card to withdraw funds. She also opened an Amazon account in the woman’s name to order items for her personal use, including “sex toys, shoes, Halloween costumes, dog toys, and various other items,” and continued to use the victim’s bank card after her death to pay her own utility bills.

Espitia claimed that the money was received for services rendered, but the charges were reported to the police in May 2020 by the victim’s estate administrator.

District Judge Mason Simons sentenced Espitia to 4-10 years in prison, suspended on the condition that she serve 270 days in jail over the next three years while she is on probation.

Espitia was also ordered to complete community service, domestic battery treatment counseling, and abstain from alcohol, marijuana, and gambling.

Credits: Elko Daily