State Investigators Charge Two After Disabled Elderly Man’s IRS Check Is Stolen

May 9, 2022

State investigators have charged two women after the theft of a local disabled elderly man’s $5,142.19 check from the IRS.

Kayla Shyanne Macks, age 33 of Walnut Hill, was charged with felony exploitation of an elderly adult, uttering a forged instrument and grand theft. She was released from the Escambia County Jail on a $7,500 bond.

Kayla Ann Otto, age 18 of Century, was charged with uttering a forged instrument. She was released from the Santa Rosa County Jail on a $5,000 bond.

The victim told a Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) investigator that he was hospitalized and on a ventilator due to COVID-19 when the check arrived. He said he was dependent on the check and had no other income while hospitalized.

FDACS said Macks stole the check, and Otto deposited it into her credit union in Pace.

The relationship between Macks, Otto and the victim was not evident from a highly redacted arrest report.

Pictured: Kayla Shyanne Macks (left) and Kayla Ann Otto (right).

Comments

12 Responses to “State Investigators Charge Two After Disabled Elderly Man’s IRS Check Is Stolen”

  1. Old Friend on May 10th, 2022 9:23 pm

    Poor girl cant catch a break it seems. I hope things get better for her and her situation somehow!!

  2. judy on May 10th, 2022 7:38 am

    Mt credit union will not let me deposit a check that has someone else’s name on it into my account.

  3. Peggy Sunday on May 10th, 2022 1:34 am

    @mnon I’ll defend the actions of someone when it’s the right thing to do, not just if it’s a friend or family member. You don’t know the full story or if Otto even “keeps the company” of Macks, which she doesn’t. She was at the wrong place at the wrong time. It’s not like the check had “STOLEN” stamped onto it.

  4. mnon on May 9th, 2022 10:36 pm

    @Peggy no excuse… ever hear the phrase “You are only as good as the company you keep” I’m sure a friend or family member will defend her actions.

  5. David on May 9th, 2022 8:32 pm

    Things like this happen a lot to elderly and ill around here.

    Beware.

  6. Peggy Sunday on May 9th, 2022 4:56 pm

    Otto didn’t know the check was stolen when she cashed it, after she found out she turned herself in immediately.

  7. Debbie on May 9th, 2022 12:15 pm

    My bank doesn’t allow checks to be deposited in someone else’s name. Not even being signed over. Should have been a red flag at the bank.

  8. Jr on May 9th, 2022 10:48 am

    This is a sad sad case. Those two should be purely ashamed of themselves but these types don’t care one way or the other what they do. To steal money from an elderly person is as low as they can go. I fully agree with @concerned…make them pay and pay for a long long time

  9. EMD on May 9th, 2022 9:13 am

    INFURIATING ! ! ! DISGUSTING! ! ! PATHETIC ! ! !

  10. concerned on May 9th, 2022 8:48 am

    this right here is a very serious matter a elderly man on his death bed ? reminds me of some movies I’ve watched where man on horse rides up shoots a man leaves him in the hot sun after taking all his things. ladies should be made to pay him back 10 xs as much as they stole from him. and have probation for the next 10 years and pay $35 each month for supervision . very sad world we live in.

  11. Susie on May 9th, 2022 7:48 am

    No @JTV, they aren’t “women”, they are thieves and pretty disgusting I might add to steal money from an elderly infirm person. How low class and pathetic can a subhuman be?
    PLEASE people, have those checks direct deposited to a bank account! Keep your money away from thieves like this.

    Hey girl-thieves, crime does not really pay. What goes around, comes around like a boomerang on a trampoline.

  12. JTV on May 9th, 2022 6:50 am

    They’re women, nothing will happen here. Slap on the wrist