FROM STAFF REPORTS

A western Iredell County man faces nine felony charges in connection with the theft of more than $100,000 from an elderly relative following an investigation by the Iredell County Sheriff’s Office.

Sheriff Darren Campbell announced the arrest of Joshua David Mayberry, 39, of Beulah Road, Statesville, in a news release Tuesday.

The Sheriff’s Office received a received a report from a financial institution regarding a possible fraud involving an elderly victim on April 1. The victim’s credit cards and other financial accounts appeared to have been compromised and used fraudulently by an unauthorized person, Campbell said.

Detective C. Nielsen, who is assigned to ICSO Special Victims Unit Economic Crimes Division, was assigned to investigate the case.

During the investigation, Detective Nielson discovered that a family member of the elderly victim, identified as Mayberry, had been fraudulently using the victim’s bank accounts and financial cards for unauthorized purchases, according to the news release.

Mayberry had previously fraudulently accessed the victim’s finances since April 2018, Campbell said.

Detective Nielson executed multiple search warrants to obtain documentation and evidence from financial services and financial institutions. As a result of the investigation and evidence gathered, Mayberry was arrested and charged with seven counts of felony identity theft, one count of felony exploitation of disabled/elder from a position of trust (over $100,000), and one count of felony obtaining property by false pretense (over $100,000).

Mayberry was transported to the Iredell County Detention Center, where Magistrate Watkins issued a $75,000 secured bond.