WISE, Va. — A Dickenson County woman will spend 16 months in prison, after pleading guilty to stealing from her elderly employer.

Rendy Eva Hale, 38, of Dante, pleaded guilty in June to five counts of credit card fraud and five counts of credit card forgery.

In 2019, Hale had been hired as a caregiver for an elderly Wise County woman with significant health issues. During the few months she was employed, she managed to steal more than $17,000 of the woman’s retirement funds.

“Elder abuse refers to crimes of violence, instances of neglect, and fraud or financial exploitation targeting older adults,” Commonwealth’s Attorney Chuck Slemp said. “Elder abuse is a growing epidemic in our area that deserves our attention.  The staggering financial impact of these crimes is estimated at between $2.9 billion and $36.5 billion annually.  My office remains dedicated to raising awareness in hopes of preventing elder abuse, and we will continue to aggressively prosecute any and all crimes against the elderly.”

In addition to the jail sentence, Hale was also ordered to repay the stolen money.