A Jefferson County man is in jail after being arrested Thursday on charges of looting his grandmother’s life savings of more than $350,000.

Michael R. Wurm, 43, of Meriden, was charged by Kansas Atty. Gen. Phill Kline with 59 counts of theft of property valued between $500 and $25,000, and one count of theft of property valued over $25,000.

A complaint filed against Wurm in Jefferson County District Court alleges that he diverted roughly $364,400 from his grandmother’s accounts between 1999 and 2002. The complaint says that Wurm took the money and deposited it accounts owned by him and his wife, Nancy, before the money was eventually spent. One instance involved the transfer of more than $100,000. The alleged thefts began when Wurm was given durable power of attorney by his grandmother, Reva Ross, in 1999. The thefts stopped when Ross’ funds ran out in 2002.

Whitney Watson, a spokesman for the attorney general’s office, said that while the state frequently prosecuted cases of elder abuse, most of the perpetrators were fly-by-night businessmen, not grandchildren.

“This is certainly extraordinary just because of the dollar amount involved, and because it was a relative,” Watson said.

After being arrested Thursday afternoon on his property west of Lake Perry, Wurm was booked into Jefferson County Jail on $100,000 bond. He is expected to make his first appearance in court today or Monday.

Wurm’s friend and co-worker David McKee was with Wurm when the arrest took place. The two had driven to Wurm’s property to check on some construction being done there when agents from the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office and the attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Division took Wurm into custody.

McKee said he had heard about some of the financial dealings in question, but he placed the blame on a local banker, not on Wurm. McKee said the banker had convinced Wurm to put the funds into a series of investments that eventually evaporated.

“I don’t believe for a second that Mike did this,” McKee said. “Mike is a real straight shooter.”

The attorney general’s office declined to identify where the money taken from Ross’ accounts was eventually spent.

If convicted, Wurm would face 11 to 34 months in prison and a fine of up to $100,000 for the single count of theft of property valued over $25,000. The 59 counts of theft of property valued between $500 and $25,000 would each carry a penalty of five to 17 months in prison and a fine of up to $100,000.