Former Pinole Police Officer and His Wife Charged with Defrauding Elderly Pleasanton Woman

The following article, originally posted at Kron4.com on November 16, 2012, was submitted via CopBlock.org’s “Submit a Post” tab.

PLEASANTON – Pleasanton police arrested a former Pinole police commander and are seeking his wife on suspicion of defrauding an elderly man.

Matthew Messier, 36, was arrested following a months-long investigation into an elder abuse case reported by Alameda County Adult Protective Services on behalf of an 82-year-old Pleasanton man, said police Sgt. Kurt Schlehuber.

Messier, a Pleasanton resident, and his wife Elizabeth Regulado, 30, allegedly used his position of authority to gain the elderly victim’s trust and then placed the man’s entire estate into a trust only they controlled, Schlehuber said.

Messier was employed by Pinole police at the time the incident was reported.

He was arrested on a warrant on suspicion of grand theft, three counts of attempted grand theft, four counts of elder abuse, forgery, two counts of registering a stolen document, criminal conspiracy and practicing law without a license, police said.

Regulado is wanted for one count of criminal conspiracy.