A Homestead caregiver is accused of turning her access to elderly clients into a lucrative side hustle, and now she is sitting in jail over it. Miami-Dade deputies say 58-year-old Jacqueline Denise Robinson stole and sold tens of thousands of dollars in jewelry from the people she was supposed to be helping, in a case that grew out of an earlier theft investigation this year.
According to a Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office news release reported by the Miami Herald, Robinson was arrested in Homestead and is accused of taking roughly $56,000 in jewelry from several elderly clients. Investigators say the pieces were removed from the victims, then sold, and that the case is part of an active financial exploitation probe.
This is not Robinson’s first time facing similar allegations. She was previously arrested in February after a Cutler Bay client reported a missing bracelet, the station Local 10 reported. A witness provided deputies with video that allegedly shows Robinson going through the victim’s drawers and concealing items on her body. Jail records from that earlier case indicate she was held on a $2,500 bond at the time.
Now, prosecutors say they plan to ratchet up the charges. They intend to pursue additional counts including elderly exploitation, dealing in stolen property and falsely claiming ownership to a pawnbroker, according to the Miami Herald. Robinson’s attorney in the February case, Carlos Gonzalez, told reporters he will not represent her on the new charges, although he expects the scheduled June 29 trial date to be adjusted to fold in the latest allegations. Jail records list Robinson as being held at the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center on bonds totaling $180,000.
Legal stakes
Under Florida law, exploitation of an elderly person includes knowingly obtaining or using an elder’s funds or property while in a position of trust. Per the Florida Statutes, if the value involved is $50,000 or more, the offense can be charged as a first-degree felony.
What’s next
Robinson had been set to go to trial on June 29 on the February grand theft charge, and her attorney has said he expects that date will be modified so prosecutors can add the new counts. The sheriff’s office says the investigation remains active as authorities sort through evidence tied to the alleged jewelry scheme.
How to report suspected elder exploitation
If you suspect an elderly person is being exploited or neglected, call the Florida Abuse Hotline at 1-800-962-2873 or use the Department of Children and Families' online reporting portal for Adult Protective Services. If someone is in immediate danger, call 911.
