Iowa Falls woman pleads not guilty to financial exploitation of older individuals in Cerro Gordo County

CLEAR LAKE — An Iowa Falls woman accused of financial exploitation of an older individual in Cerro Gordo County has pleaded not guilty.

Criminal complaints state that 36-year-old Brittney Eide allegedly committed financial exploitation while standing in a position of trust or confidence with the victims, who are 90 years old or older and live in Clear Lake. The complaint says she obtained control over a credit card belonging to the victims and without authorization used it 413 times between January and June of this year, resulting in a loss of over $32,000.

Two separate complaints also accuse Eide of using the credit card in May to charge $2051 to obtain property and/or services, as well as using it in May to pay off $1688 in fines to the State of Iowa’s Judicial Branch.

Eide was charged with one count of financial exploitation of an older individual, a Class B felony punishable by up to 25 years in prison, as well as two counts of unauthorized use of a credit card, each Class D felonies.

Eide’s arraignment hearing was scheduled for this coming Monday, but court records show she filed a written plea of not guilty to the charges on Thursday in Cerro Gordo County District Court. A trial date was not immediately set.