DeKalb County man sentenced for exploiting elderly aunt
Dwayne Jervis (DeKalb County Jail)
DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A DeKalb County man convicted of stealing thousands of dollars from his elderly aunt has been sentenced to spend a year behind bars.
Thursday, a DeKalb County Superior Court judge sentenced 41-year-old Dwaine Jervis to one year in prison and nine on probation.
According to officials, Jervis began exploiting his now-91-year-old aunt Elfreda Henry in 2016 when she sold her New York home after her husband died.
Investigators say Jervis convinced his elderly victim to move down to Georgia to live with him. After she added his name to her back accounts, police say he took over $90,000 from her in less than a year and a half.
The investigation began in 2017 when Chase Bank froze Henry's account due to all the withdrawals and contacted police.
After searching for Henry, officers found her living with a family friend. She told them her grand-nephew had suddenly moved her out and left her alone.
Jervis represented himself at trial and claimed that he was taking the money to buy Henry a house in Jamaica, however, he did not give any evidence.
A jury found him guilty of exploitation of an elder person, theft by taking by a fiduciary, and another count of theft by taking.
Along with serving time, Jervis was ordered to pay Henry $70,000 in restitution and is prohibited from visiting her home.