A state employee whose job it was to take care of elderly people in Northeast Georgia, is now charged with exploiting one of them.
On Wednesday, September 2, the GBI arrested Ronald Thomas, 49, of Athens on 10 counts of elder exploitation. Thomas was booked into the Stephens County Detention Center. At the time of the commission of the crimes, Thomas was employed as an Adult Protective Services (APS) caseworker with the Georgia Department of Human Services (DHS), according to the GBI.
He has been suspended without pay pending an internal investigation by DHS.
Toccoa PD tipped off state investigators
On August 21, the Toccoa Police Department requested that the GBI investigate the exploitation of an elderly citizen. During the investigation, agents learned that Thomas was a state employee and the caseworker assigned to the victim in the case. “Through that role, Thomas was able to steal money from the victim,” says GBI spokesperson Nelly Miles.
The alleged crimes were committed in three different North Georgia counties, Union, Stephens, and Clarke.
The case is still ongoing and will be sent to the Mountain Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office once the investigation’s complete.
