Former home health care aide sentenced to federal prison for identity theft of elderly patient

ALBANY – A federal judge Friday sentenced former home health care aide Barbara McClinton of Kingston to three years in federal prison.

McClinton, 45, was convicted of the felonies of credit card fraud and aggravated identity theft for stealing the identity of an elderly patient and obtaining credit cards under that identity. She used those cards to rack up some $30,000 in debt.

McClinton was employed as an aid assigned to a 77-year-old woman in Phoenicia from May through September 2005. During the time she cared for the woman, she obtained personal identifying information, including her Social Security number, date of birth, and her mother’s maiden name.

She used that information and other ID without the patient’s knowledge to obtain at least three credit cards, which she used to make purchases totaling $30,000. They included three cars, for which she made payments on the cars, insurance, cash advances, gas, food, clothing and a cell phone.