FAIRVIEW HEIGHTS, Ill. – In connection with the Department of Justice’s announcement of its Elder
Justice Sweep earlier today, United States Attorney for the Southern District of Illinois, Rachelle
Aud Crowe, made the following announcement:
“Combating fraud against the elderly is the number one priority of our Fraud & Corruption section,”
U.S. Attorney Crowe stated. “Anytime a senior is victimized, we work very hard to find the
responsible criminals and bring them to justice.”
Six federal prosecutors are assigned to the district’s Fraud & Corruption section. They are
Assistant United States Attorneys: Scott Verseman, Chief; Kevin Burke, Zoe Gross, Peter Reed,
Steve Weinhoeft and Luke Weissler.
As an example of the office’s efforts to hold accountable those who harm the elderly, U.S. Attorney
Crowe cited to the recent guilty plea of Ashley McKinney, 39, of Cahokia, Illinois. McKinney’s co-
defendant, Erica Rose, 33, of East St. Louis, Illinois, worked as a home healthcare provider for
elderly persons in the Metro East. While working in the victims’ homes, Rose stole their bank
account information and provided it to McKinney. McKinney then used that information to make
illegal purchases, including purchasing an automobile. McKinney and Rose were indicted in January
2020, but McKinney remained a fugitive until she was eventually hunted down and arrested by the
United States Marshals. McKinney will be sentenced on November 22,…
