Son, grandson accused of stealing from hospitalized relative

WEST VALLEY CITY — A 74-year-old woman returned home after being hospitalized to find that more than $10,000 had been withdrawn from her bank account. The suspects: her son and grandson.

Arlene Allen discovered that between Dec. 22 and Jan. 20, someone had used her credit card 33 times to withdraw $8,320. After contacting her credit union, she was provided with an ATM surveillance photograph of the individual who had made the withdrawals, and she identified the person as her grandson, Jay Lee Allen, 29, according to charges filed in 3rd District Court.

A Taylorsville detective contacted Jay Lee Allen and he said he took his grandmother's credit card while she was hospitalized on or around Dec. 22, according to court documents.

The charges state the grandson was given a key to his grandmother's apartment to take care of her dog while she was in the hospital, and he took the credit card from her purse as well as her PIN number written on a letter from the bank in her purse. Allen allegedly used the money to purchase prescription oxycodone pills.

The woman also noticed a second set of unauthorized withdrawals between Nov. 2 and Jan. 17 totaling more than $2,630 for purchases and to pay bills, and she suspected they were from her son, Kenneth Jay Allen, 53. He was questioned and arrested.

Both Kenneth Allen and Jay Allen were each charged with exploitation of a vulnerable adult, unlawful use of a financial transaction card and unlawful acquisition, possession or transfer of a financial transaction card, all third-degree felonies.

— Hunter Schwarz