A former fire chief and his wife have been convicted of defrauding an elderly woman out of thousands of dollars after they befriended the woman three years before her death.

Former Joliet Fire Chief Joe Drick and his wife, Cheri, were found guilty late Monday of theft by deception, financial exploitation of an elderly person, and conspiracy to commit financial exploitation of an elderly person. Sentencing was set for Dec. 12.

The Dricks were accused of taking nearly $200,000 from Gladys Farrington, with whom they formed a friendship in November 2002 after the couple gave the 82-year-old a ride on a cold day. She died at age 85 of Alzheimer’s disease.

The Dric…

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