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Ex-financial investor from Bazetta gets 3 years for theft from 2 elderly women
By Ed Runyan
WARREN
Former Bazetta Township financial adviser Orlando A. Montoya, 37, persuaded a 77-year-old Mineral Ridge woman to write him personal checks worth $48,250 that were supposed to be invested for her.
Instead, he used that money, and $35,000 he stole from a 93-year-old Austintown woman, to take a Bahamas cruise, visit Disney World, Epcot Center, eat out every night and take shopping trips to the Robinson Towne Center near Pittsburgh, Beachwood Mall near Cleveland and many other places.
On Wednesday, he received a two-year prison sentence in Trumbull County Common Pleas Court for the thefts.
That is added to the one year he got on his Mahoning County case.
Before Judge W. Wyatt McKay pronounced sentencing, Montoya apologized, saying: “I hold myself accountable for my actions. It was poor judgment. I’m very sorry.”
Gabe Wildman, assistant county prosecutor, called Montoya, of Trapper’s Trail, a “con man” who “used his position as a trusted financial adviser” to persuade his victims to write checks to him personally.
He would tell the Mineral Ridge victim she should write him a personal check to make sure he could invest the money as quickly as possible.
Montoya worked for Western-Southern Life Insurance and New York Life, but he has lost his license to work in the investment field, Wildman said.
New York Life and possibly Western-Southern repaid both victims for their financial losses, Wildman said.
Judge McKay ordered Montoya to make restitution of $45,250 to the insurance company or companies for his county case.
Michael Yacovone, assistant Mahoning County prosecutor, said the Austintown victim and her daughter reported Montoya to authorities after seeing Montoya on television after being charged with the Trumbull County case.
Montoya pleaded guilty Wedensday to one count of theft from the elderly and could have gotten up to eight years in prison.
He pleaded guilty to felony theft July 28 in Mahoning County.
The investigation began when the Mineral Ridge woman called Weathersfield Township police in August 2013.
She had begun investing with Montoya in July 2012.