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Tyler Dietlmeier, 28, pleaded guilty to theft by deception and criminal coercion on Friday, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer.
Toms River police initially received a complaint about Dietlmeier on Jan. 27, Billhimer said.
Dietlmeier had befriended, under false pretenses, the elderly blind woman who lived alone. An investigation found 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 her information, and accessed her bank accounts, the prosecutor said.
In most cases, Dietlmeier used the victim’s credit cards to buy gift cards which he then sold for cash, according to Billhimer.
In total, the defendant fraudulently obtained in excess of $100,000 from the woman, Billhimer said.
When the victim questioned Dietlmeier about the suspected fraud, he threatened to harm her and her family if she contacted law enforcement, Billhimer said.
"To stoop so low as to take advantage of an elderly person, who also happens to live alone and is legally blind, is about as reprehensible as it gets,” Billhimer said. “Let the message be sent that we will not tolerate con artists who prey upon and victimize our seniors and the disabled. We will continue to be vigilant investigating and prosecuting crimes committed against the most vulnerable in our community who, because of their age or disability, simply cannot fight for themselves."
Dietlmeier entered his guilty plea before Superior County Judge Guy P. Ryan. When he is sentenced on Dec. 18, he is expected to be ordered to repay the victim, and faces up to seven years in state prison on the charges, according to Billhimer.
Dietlmeier is being held in Ocean County Jail.
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