Alachua County Sheriff’s officers arrested a Gainesville woman for trying to scam local banks and using her grandmother’s identity.
Jennifer Sparacino, 19, was arrested on Tuesday on charges of obtaining property communication, grand theft and exploitation of the elderly, according to a police report.
Sparacino went into a Bank of America, located at 7606 W. Newberry Road, with her grandmother to cash a check, according to the report. The check, dated March 4, was made to Sparacino for $1,955 and was cashed into her grandmother's account on May 6.
Sparacino then returned to the bank on May 7 and deposited starter checks from Wells Fargo for $1,000 and $2,500, both paid to the order of her grandmother for bond and was signed by Sparacino.
The grandmother did not clearly recall going to the Bank of America with her granddaughter due to physical illness, including minor memory loss, according to the report.
The manager at the Bank of America said Sparacino first attempted to cash the checks with her grandmother's ID, however, she was denied.
Sparacino then returned with her grandmother in order to get the checks put into the grandmother's account.
The check worth $1,955 returned on May 12 as a counterfeit check, and the other two checks from Wells Fargo had insufficient funds in the account belonging to Sparacino, according to the report.
After questioning, Sparacino admitted she knew her grandmother had some memory loss and even explained that a fourth check was cashed at Wells Fargo, which she was unable to obtain due to a 24-hour hold that was placed by Wells Fargo, according to the report. She also knew that funds were not available in the Wells Fargo account at the time.
The manager at the Bank of America said that as of March 28, Sparacino’s account was closed for fraud involving $4,518.88, according to the report.
Sparacino was booked into the Alachua County Jail at about 6 p.m. As of press time, her bond is set at $75,000.
