Former Cop Faces Sentencing In Scheme To Defraud Elderly Pleasanton Resident Out Of Landmark Estate
HAYWARD (CBS SF) -- An elderly resident of Pleasanton has died and left her landmark Victorian home and estate totaling $1.5 million to her hometown despite the alleged efforts of a former Pinole police commander to use his power of authority to gain her trust and her estate.
38-year-old Matthew Messier appeared in a Hayward courtroom Friday to be sentenced after pleading guilty to a felony count of lying about his assets. He faces up to five years' probation and a year in jail.
However Messier's sentencing was postponed until January 21 so that the judge could review documents submitted by his supporters and by the supporters of Jean Phyllis Jones, according to the Bay Area News Group.
Jones passed away Wednesday at age 84 after suffering from dementia.
The alleged scheme to defraud her was uncovered by other neighbors in 2012 who became concerned about Jones' interactions with Messier.
The neighbors' suspicious were raised when Messier started driving Jean Jones to the bank, just weeks after befriending her.
"All he wanted was her home and her money," said neighbor Heidi Bailey. "When Jean Jones stepped in my life, I felt called to protect her."
Bailey went to Pleasanton Police with her suspicions "I was very frightened because I had to pretend when I was around him that I was on his side."
Messier was arrested in 2012 for a series of charges including grand theft, elder abuse and fraud for drafting documents naming himself as trustee and sole beneficiary of Jones' $700,000 home and her other assets.
"He was willing to make her lose her independence, lose her financial independence, and her dignity," said Bailey.
Messier's wife, Elizabeth Regalado, was initially charged as a co-conspirator but a judge dismissed the charges against her, ruling there was no probable cause to hold her to answer for the charges, according to prosecutor Connie Campbell.
If it wasn't for some good neighbors stepping in, Messier would have now owned her entire historic estate and savings. "(The house) would have been his," said neighbor Laurie Riddle. "He would have gotten away with it."
Jones had always wanted to donate her landmark house to the city and people of Pleasanton when she passed. Her neighbors made sure her will was changed and her wish to have her home donated to the city granted .
"I do believe that even though something terrible happened to Jean, something wonderful happened," said Bailey. "We got to be her family and she knew family at the end of her life."