FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. – The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office arrested former Department of Children and Families Child Protective Investigator, Spenser Trinkle, 31, for grand theft and fraud against a senior citizen. Trinkle turned himself in Sunday.
Trinkle was found to have fraudulently used Zelle to transfer money from the victim’s account into his. The victim called police when she noticed numerous transactions from her savings and checking accounts being made to Trinkle’s Zelle account.
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The victim told police she has known Trinkle for years and he helps her around her home with various tasks. Trinkle originally told police he didn’t now how it happened and denied making the transactions.
Trinkle then admitted to using the money to pay for medical bills for his child, claiming he’d use GoFundMe donations for his child’s medical expenses to repay the victim. At that time, she declined to press charges if Trinkle repaid her.
That changed when Trinkle admitted to the charges, and didn’t pay the victim back the $3,857 stolen from her account.
“And another dirtbag award goes to this guy, whose job is to help protect children while he’s stealing from the elderly,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “I’m glad he is now a former employee of DCF. Now let’s hope this guy doesn’t get the opportunity to steal from others again and he learns a lesson with his new criminal record!”