A 46-year-old man arrested on Tuesday blamed a gambling problem for his decision to rip off an elderly woman.
Bryan Keith Middleton of Ocala is facing felony charges of fraud and larceny following his arrest by Sumter County sheriff’s deputies.
In April, he took a $550 check from a Wildwood woman and said he would perform tree trimming and stump removal on her property.
He cashed the check and told the 91-year-old woman he had a family emergency that would delay the work, according to the arrest report. He continued to make excuses and never performed the work. Earlier this month, the woman called the sheriff’s office.
In an interview with a sheriff’s deputy, Middleton admitted that he had told the woman his father had passed away, when in fact, he was still alive.
Middleton said he had a “bad gambling problem.”
A criminal background check showed Middleton to be a convicted felon with an extensive criminal history, including prior charges of grand theft, dealing in stolen property, defrauding a pawnbroker, and organized fraud. Middleton was also shown to have an active West Virginia warrant for embezzlement.
He was booked at the Sumter County Detention Center and released after posting $4,000 bond.
