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Tyler Dietlmeier of Toms River previously pleaded guilty to theft by deception, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
Superior Court Judge Guy P. Ryan also sentenced Dietlmeier on Friday to four years in state prison for his previously entered guilty plea to criminal coercion., Billhimer said.
The two prison sentences will run concurrently. Dietlmeier pleaded guilty to both charges before Judge Ryan on Oct. 23.
On Jan. 27, Toms River Township Police Department responded to a local residence in reference to a report of fraudulent activity. An investigation by the Toms River Police Detective Bureau found that Dietlmeier had befriended, under false pretenses, a 73-year-old legally blind woman who lived alone, the prosecutor said.
The investigation revealed that starting in October 2019, Dietlmeier opened numerous credit card accounts in the victim’s name without her permission, added his name as an authorized user to her existing accounts, increased the credit limits on existing accounts, and changed the phone numbers on some of her accounts so that any fraud alerts from the credit card companies would go directly to him, according to Billhimer.
Dietlmeier also rented cars using the woman's personal information, and accessed her bank accounts, he said.
In most cases, Dietlmeier used the victim’s credit cards to buy gift cards which he then sold for cash. In total, the defendant fraudulently obtained in excess of $100,000 through his criminal scheme, according to Billhimer.
Additionally, when the victim questioned Dietlmeier about the possibility that he had defrauded her, he threatened to harm her and her family if she reported her concerns to law enforcement, the prosecutor said.
As a result of the investigation, a warrant was issued for Dietlmeier’s arrest on Jan. 29. On Feb.6, Dietlmeier was arrested by members of the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Division in Plainsboro.
He has been held in the Ocean County Jail ever since his arrest.
“This defendant’s behavior was reprehensible. He took advantage of an elderly, legally blind person that lives alone," Billhimer said. "We will remain vigilant in our duty to investigate and prosecute crimes committed against the most vulnerable members of our society."
Assistant Prosecutors Christopher Heisler, Taylor Toscano and Timothy Kelly handled the case.
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