Jerry Dewayne Long

Limestone County Sheriff Mike Blakely has a message for anyone who plans on taking advantage of senior citizens: Steer clear of his county.

Sheriff’s Office investigators on Thursday arrested a man accused of swindling an elderly victim out of more than $100,000 between 2015 and May of this year. Sheriff’s Office spokesman Deputy Stephen Young said Jerry Dewayne Long, 39, of 17265 Blackburn Road, Athens, is charged with first-degree theft by deception.

Long was being held Friday in the Limestone County Jail on $5,000 bond.

The Sheriff’s Office received the first report of the crime in April from a family member of the victim. The report was made in reference to the Protection of Vulnerable Adults from Financial Exploitation Act.

Young said two additional reports were filed on May 2, one of them by the victim.

An investigation determined Long had promised the 81-year-old victim he had a large sum of money — over $100,000 — coming to him and he would sign it over to the victim. Young said Long continued to receive money from the victim between 2015 and 2017 that totaled over $100,000, claiming he had cancer and needed medical treatment in Birmingham and couldn’t get the money for the treatment.

“The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office places a high priority on crimes against our elderly, and anyone who has any inclination to prey on elderly citizens had best stay out of Limestone County,” Blakely said.