An elderly Denham Springs woman who noticed unfamiliar checks drawn from her own bank account has helped lead police to an arrest. Jessica Aceves was taken into custody Sunday, accused of stealing the woman's identity and forging checks in her name.
According to WBRZ, Denham Springs police arrested Aceves on Nov. 8 in connection with the alleged scheme. The case reportedly first came to the department's attention in late July, when the elderly victim reported suspected fraudulent activity tied to checks issued from her bank account.
Police say the woman found several checks made payable to Aceves that she did not recognize and did not recall authorizing, per the same report. That discovery appears to have set off the months-long investigation that culminated in Sunday's arrest.
Booking and Charges
Aceves was booked into the Livingston Parish Detention Center following her arrest. She faces charges of identity theft, exploitation of the infirm and forgery, all of which are felonies, the station's report notes. As with any arrest, the charges represent allegations rather than a determination of guilt.
Louisiana law defines identity theft as the intentional use, possession, transfer or attempted use of another person's personal identifying information, carried out with fraudulent intent, to obtain or transfer something of value without that person's authorization or consent, according to the Louisiana State Legislature. That statutory language does not by itself establish whether the conduct alleged against Aceves meets every element of the law.
A Pattern Seen Before in Livingston Parish
Schemes targeting older residents have surfaced in the area before. In 2024, Denham Springs detectives identified a man suspected of nearly tricking an elderly woman with Alzheimer's and dementia into paying him for work he had not actually done, according to a Livingston Parish News report at the time. That earlier case does not establish any connection to the current allegations against Aceves, but it reflects a recurring vulnerability for elderly residents in the parish.
Fraud against older adults has also been climbing on a national scale. The Federal Trade Commission reports that total fraud losses reported by adults 60 and older rose roughly fivefold between 2020 and 2025, climbing from about $600 million to approximately $3 billion, according to the Federal Trade Commission. That national trend offers broader context but is not evidence tied specifically to the Denham Springs case.
No further details on the investigation have been made public. It remains unclear whether Aceves has entered a plea or retained an attorney, and the outcome of the case has not yet been determined.
