Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider: Former guardian could face new charges

Outagamie County District Attorney Carrie Schneider - Former guardian could face new charges


Jeffrey Schend already accused of stealing $500,000 from elderly, disabled

11:29 PM, Feb. 4, 2012

Special report: The Jeffrey M. Schend case

APPLETON — Outagamie County Dist. Atty. Carrie Schneider may file additional charges against Jeffrey M. Schend, a former Appleton guardian accused of stealing about $500,000 from elderly and disabled clients he was appointed to serve.

Meanwhile, an exhaustive investigation continues into every financial transactions Schend made while acting as a corporate guardian.

Schneider declined comment on any new findings in the case or the nature of new charges she's considering.

Outagamie County Judge Gregory Gill Jr. this past week canceled a weeklong jury trial that was scheduled to begin in March. It is the third time Schend's trial has been delayed. Schend will return to court March 12 for a status conference.

Defense attorney Michael Petersen, in a letter to the court Thursday, said a forensic accountant hired by prosecutors to comb through records hasn't completed a report.

"Once it is completed, or a draft is created, it is both DA Schneider's and my intention to meet with the accountant and review the results," he wrote. "Therefore, it appears the trial date as presently set is not practical."

Schend, 45, was charged in May with six felony counts of theft and one misdemeanor theft count. As a guardian, Schend was appointed by county judges to handle finances for elderly and disabled people deemed incompetent to manage their own affairs.

An investigation began after county officials started receiving complaints in late 2010 that client bills weren't being paid.

The county hired attorney Douglas Hahn to review the finances of four of Schend's clients — legally referred to as wards — to look for inconsistencies.

One of Schend's clients was missing nearly $168,000 from a trust fund. The money was transferred to one of Schend's business accounts at Associated Bank, records show. Schend had two accounts at the bank at the time of Hahn's review. One was overdrawn. One contained just $126.

Based on the elderly man's cost of living, there should have been about $110,000 available, records stated.

Please read part 2 and complete article at link below:


http://www.postcrescent.com/article/20120205/APC0101/202050539/Outagamie-County-District-Attorney-Carrie-Schneider-Former-guardian-could-face-new-charges?odyssey=tab%7Cmostpopular%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE