Couple In Jail, Charged With Elder Abuse

ENCINITAS, Calif. -- A couple was behind bars Thursday and facing a slate of criminal charges for allegedly bilking more than $50,000 from an elderly North County man and his wife, both of whom are blind and suffer from dementia.

Investigators arrested Robert Gregory Holman, 33, and his 48-year-old wife, Gina Marie Trevino, on Sept. 1 on suspicion of several counts each of financial elder abuse.

Sheriff's officials announced Thursday morning that they will seek nearly two dozen additional charges -- including conspiracy, caretaker theft, grand theft auto and credit fraud -- against the suspects at their arraignment next week.

The victims lost much of their life savings, signed over their Cardiff-area home of 40 years to the suspects and were moved to an Oceanside motel, sheriff's Detective Deborah Boyd said.

Holman and Trevino also are suspected of stealing mail from the homeowners, whose names were not released, and using their credit to buy several new cars.

Investigators have identified about $53,000 worth of fraudulent charges against the victims' various accounts, Boyd said.