LINCOLN COUNTY, N.C. — A 35-year-old Lincolnton woman is facing 16 felony charges after investigators accused her of taking checks from a patient while working as a home health care employee and depositing them into her own bank account.
According to the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office, Melony Nicole Shinn was charged Monday, Oct. 19, following an investigation by the department’s Criminal Investigations Division.
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The charges include exploitation of an elderly or disabled adult and forgery.
Investigators allege Shinn removed checks from a patient’s checkbook on multiple occasions while caring for the patient at their home.
She allegedly made the checks payable to herself, forged the patient’s signature, and deposited the checks into her personal bank account.
Shinn was taken into custody and is being held at the Harven A. Crouse Detention Center on a $70,000 secured bond.
Anyone with additional information about the case is asked to contact Detective Estrada with the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office at 704-732-9050.