Murrieta Woman Who Stole From Eldery Gets Jail, Probation

A Murrieta woman who pretended to be a caregiver to win a 93-year-old woman's trust and then stole from her pleaded guilty today to financial elder abuse and burglary and was sentenced to four months in jail and five years probation.

During a felony settlement conference Tuesday before Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy Freer, attorneys representing Aiysheh Kopti and prosecutors announced that a plea deal had been reached.

Under the agreement, the District Attorney's Office agreed to drop identity theft and receiving stolen property charges in return for Kopti's admission of guilt on the balance of the counts.

Freer then sentenced the 61-year-old Kopti, who is scheduled to surrender on May 25 to begin her jail term. According to Murrieta police Sgt. Julie Hoxmeier, Kopti befriended an elderly woman last year and "gained access to her home under the false pretense of helping the victim,'' whom Kopti had persuaded was a licensed caregiver.

The victim, Laura C. Shelton, . Shelton, who lived alone in a double-wide mobile home in a retirement community off Murrieta Hot Springs Road, , according to Murrieta Valley Funeral Home.

Kopti drained more than $2,100 from the charge cards. Evidence of the alleged thefts was obtained after investigators executed a search warrant at Kopti's house in the 24600 block of First Avenue, Hoxmeier said. Kopti was arrested in early January.

Apart from the monetary thefts, Murrieta Police Department also found stolen items in the home on First Avenue that Kopti had just moved into, Murrieta police Det. Kelly Sik said in January.

Shelton was eventually reunited with many of the stolen items.

“Most of these items are 70 and 80 years old,” Sik said. "There was a tiara she wore as a little girl."

Upon visiting the police station in January, Shelton told Patch in a previous interview that there was a table full of jewelry and household items, including a locket with photos of her and her only brother, who died at 40. The two were a year and a half apart in age.

“I looked at the table, and except for two or three pieces, they were all mine,” Shelton said. “I never liked that woman. She was a beautiful woman, but a liar.”

City News Service contributed to this report.