Criminals who prey on some of the most vulnerable Iowans are the subject of a Congressional hearing tomorrow (Wednesday) in Washington D-C. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley says he’ll preside over a Judiciary Committee hearing on how best to protect older Americans from financial exploitation. “The problem is growing as our population ages,” Grassley says. “Studies vary, but the annual financial loss by victims of this exploitation is estimated to be at least $2.9 billion, that would be the least, and 36-billion at the most.”

Two Iowans are scheduled to testify at the (9 AM/Central) hearing before the Senate panel: Donna Harvey, director of the Iowa Department on Aging, and Karla Sibert of Palo, the daughter of elderly victims of financial exploitation. “The problem is growing rapidly because scammers innovate to ensnare more victims and evade law enforcement,” Grassley says. “The crime is often under-reported so available information might greatly underestimate the impact on older Americans.”

They include so-called “sweetheart scams,” where isolated elderly people are pressed for money by thieves who pretend to befriend them. Grassley says, “These also include grandparent scams where fraudsters present themselves to senior citizens as a grandchild in distress in hopes of convincing that grandparent to send cash or give out credit card numbers.”

Grassley is crafting legislation that would target elder abuse. He says the bill will promote more effective interagency coordination, training to improve the investigation and prosecution of elder abuse, victims’ assistance, and tougher penalties for scam artists. Grassley says financial exploitation is the most widespread form of elder abuse.

(Radio Iowa)

Officials with the Iowa Department of Public Safety say the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigations is looking into an Officer-involved shooting that took place late Monday night, in Boone. The Boone County Dispatch Center received a 911 call at approximately 10:15 pm in reference to a report of a male subject with a gun threatening people.  Officers with the Boone Police Department and Deputies with the Boone County Sheriff’s office responded to the area of 332 West 2nd Street in Boone.

Upon arriving in the area of 332 West 2nd Street, law enforcement located a male subject that matched the description that was given to the Boone County Dispatch Center.  When the male subject was confronted by law enforcement, the subject drew a gun from his waistband.  Law enforcement officers spoke to the subject and ordered the subject to drop the gun numerous times and the subject refused.

After several minutes, the subject raised his arm and allegedly aimed the gun at the officers and approached the officers.  Law enforcement officers engaged the subject and fired their weapons striking the subject.  The subject was immediately given medical aid and was transported to the Boone County Hospital where he later died from the injuries.

The body has been transported to the Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner in Ankeny, Iowa, where an autopsy will be conducted today (Tuesday). The officers involved in the incident have been placed on paid administrative leave until the completion of the investigation, per Boone Police Department policy.

Agents from the Iowa Department of Public Safety’s (DPS) Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation (DCI) and the Crime Scene Team from the Iowa DCI’s Criminalistics Laboratory responded to the scene.   No additional information will be released at this time.

(Updated 10:38-a.m. w/additional details about the arrest)

A man who was listed as missing and escaped from the Newton Correctional Release Center Monday night was found early this (Tuesday) morning. Fred Scaletta with the Department of Corrections says Timothy Formaro, Jr., was located at around 3:30 a.m. about one-mile north of the Newton facility. He was found in a ditch along Highway 14. State Patrol Aircraft used thermal imaging to assist in locating Formaro.

He was apprehended in a joint Law Enforcement effort by the Jasper County Sheriff’s Department, Iowa State Patrol, Fifth Judicial District Warrant Team and Newton Correctional Facility Security staff. Formaro was transported back to the Newton Medium Correctional Facility and was placed into secured housing pending internal disciplinary procedures and criminal charges.

Timothy J. Formaro, Jr.

Earlier, the Iowa Department of Corrections said Formaro was not present during a routine head count at 9:20-p.m., Monday, and after further search by security staff was been determined that Formaro escaped from the facility. The Newton Correctional Release Center is a minimum security facility.

Formaro was serving a 25 year sentence from Clarke County for Prohibited Acts and Domestic Abuse assault.