After I arrested Norby, he admitted that there was, in fact, no property in the Tacoma area and he tried to claim that the cash he received was basically a gift. After I confronted him with financial documentation the family had provided me, Norby did admit the amount he received looked excessive. Linda Martin, a Protective Service worker for Aging Services, was informed of the situation and she quickly assisted Mrs. Older in obtaining an elder abuse restraining order against Marvin Norby. Martin responded to Older's residence and did an excellent job assisting Mrs. Older. Mulnomah County Deputy District Attorney Karin Immergut prosecuted this case and in January Marvin Norby was convicted of Aggravated Theft and he is currently in custody.
Elderly fraud is difficult to investigate.
The victims are embarrassed and often very reluctant to pursue prosecution. Gathering incriminating financial documentation is also hard to obtain and is very time intensive. Also, despite being victimized, the elderly often feel some sort of bond with the suspect. Further, in home repair scams and investment fraud which is focused upon the elderly, it is somewhat difficult at times to determine if the case is primarily civil or criminal. During my tenure as the Elder Crimes Detective for the City of Portland, the most frustrating aspect of the position was the sheer volume of felony cases that came through my office.