Kansas Attorney General Phill Kline filed charges today against a Lawrence woman for allegedly stealing more than $115,914.02 from an elderly couple she was hired to assist.

Jolene Harrell, 45, was charged in Douglas County District Court with 14 counts of felony theft and one count of misdemeanor theft for allegedly writing checks totaling $109,440.50 to herself out of accounts owned by retired Judge Charles Rankin, 90, and his wife Polly, 84.

Harrell is also charged with eight counts of felony theft for allegedly taking eight of Charles Rankin’s retirement checks and two counts of misdemeanor theft for allegedly taking two Medicare checks sent to Polly Rankin.

The complaint alleges that the thefts occurred from April 2, 2003, through June 15, 2004, while Harrell was working as an assistant to the Rankins who lived in a Lawrence retirement community. Harrell charged the Rankins $75 per day to assist them with paying their bills and to help manage their checking accounts. Harrell did not have permission or authority to sign checks on the accounts nor to write checks to herself or for her benefit, which the complaint alleges she did.

Of the 22 counts of felony theft, 14 are in connection with the money she took out of the Rankin’s checking accounts, and eight are in connection with the taking of Mr. Rankin’s retirement checks. The
three misdemeanor counts of theft are in connection with the taking of the two Medicare checks sent to Polly Rankin and taking money out of the Rankins’ checking accounts.

Each count of felony theft is a Level 9-nonperson felony punishable by five to 17 months in prison and a fine of up to $100,000. Each misdemeanor theft charge is a Class A-person misdemeanor punishable by up to one year in the county jail and a fine of up to $2,500.

Harrell was arrested today following an investigation by the attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Division, the Lawrence Police Department and Douglas County District Attorney Christine
Kenney. Harrell was booked into the Douglas County Jail and held pending $50,000 bond.

Attorney General Phill Kline’s Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Division will prosecute the case.

The defendant has merely been accused and is considered innocent of all charges unless convicted by a court of law.