Deltona, FL – A tip from Wells Fargo bank employees leads to a Deltona man’s arrest for stealing money from an elderly cancer patient.
The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office arrested 55-year-old Stephen Marino Friday afternoon. He’s being held on $2,500 bond on a theft charge at Volusia County Jail as of 7 PM Friday.
VCSO spokesman Andrew Gant says Marino’s been stealing money from the 71-year-old disabled woman he’s been living with for the past 4 years.
“The bank had become suspicious of Marino’s knowledge of and access to all of the victim’s personal and account information,” Gant added. “When a bank representative asked the victim about Marino, she seemed to be fearful.”
Deputies went to the victim’s home on Alcan Avenue in Deltona and she told them that Marino had been taking advantage of her after she had allowed him to live with her because he was homeless.
“Over the past year, she said he’d been threatening to slash her tires and break everything in her house unless she gave him money,” Gant noted. “She said she’d told him multiple times to leave but he refused.”
The victim claimed she’s given Marino around $10,000 and that she was afraid to call law enforcement because of threats he had made.
“She said he attempted to force her to get an attorney to place all her property in his name and when she refused, he told her he hoped she would die,” Gant stated.
When questioned, Marino denied taking the woman’s money, but he was charged after a deputy found $400 in cash that VCSO says belonged to the victim.
“Marino claimed the money was for him to buy new tires for the victim’s vehicle,” Gant said. “But when the deputy checked the victim’s tires, he found they were operational with no signs of damage or wear.”
VCJ records show Marino’s been booked there 11 other times since March 2002, including on charges of grand theft auto, marijuana possession under 20 grams and driving with a revoked license.
Stephen Marino (mugshot courtesy VCJ)
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