Harmony Marshall

An Athens woman remained jailed Friday in Limestone County for allegedly stealing a checkbook and credit card from an elderly woman and buying $12,000 worth of items for her dealer in exchange for drugs, an official said.

Harmony Teri Marshall, 37, of 16670 Wright Road, was arrested Thursday on a felony charge of first-degree financial exploitation of an elderly person, jail records show.

Bail is set at $5,000.

The case is still under investigation and more arrests are pending, said Limestone County Sheriff’s Investigator Caleb Durden, who made the case.

Marshall was serving as a caretaker for an 85-year-old family member in the Clements community when the alleged crime occurred, Durden said.

“She stole a (Bank Independent) checkbook and a (Regions Bank) credit card,” Durden said. “She was buying stuff for her drug dealer, speakers and other stuff, and trading them for whatever drugs she could get, including crack cocaine. The amount we have come up with so far is $12,000.”

The charge against Marshall covers transactions made between October and now, he said. Due to the alleged victim’s age and the accused’s role as a caregiver, Marshall was charged with financial exploitation of the elderly rather than felony theft, he said.

Durden lauded the two banks for catching the alleged crime.

“They did an outstanding job,” he said. “They noticed suspicious transactions with her accounts and notified the victim.”

The banks will return the money to the victim and seek restitution through the courts should Marshall be convicted, Durden said.