Deputies arrest Pine Cove woman on charges of elder financial abuse and fraud

At around 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 13, Riverside County Sheriff's Department deputies, under direction of Special Investigations Supervisor Sgt. Steven Mike, arrested Pine Cove resident Teri Danette Blackburn, age 50, in the 24700 block of Marion Ridge Road in Pine Cove for suspected felony financial abuse of an elder and felony making false statements with the intent to defraud. Deputies had served a search warrant on the residence at about 11:30 a.m. Deputies removed boxes of files from Blackburn's residence (see photo). The arrest was the result of a departmental investigation that began in Aug. 2010. Hemet Station was alerted by the executer of a deceased Winchester woman's estate that numberous charges were made to pay bills of a former caregiver. The charges began in August of 2009 and continued through July of 2010.

According to Mike, Blackburn had served as caregiver for the deceased Winchester resident from Oct. 2008 until Nov. 2009 when she resigned. According to bank records, the charges began in August of 2009 and continued through July 2010 totaling over $36,000. The Winchester woman for whom Blackburn had cared died in March 2010. The investigation also revealed Blackburn opened two separate life insurance policies in the victim's name, deducting the premiums from the victim's accounts. Unbeknownst to Blackburn, the policies were opened after the victim had died.

If convicted, Blackburn could face fines and prison time of up to four years.

Blackburn was incarcerated at Larry D. Smith Correctional Facility in Banning and released on Oct. 14 on $25,000 bail, pending a court date on Friday, Dec. 12 at Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta.