Supreme Court upholds elder abuse conviction against son who defrauded mother, relatives

Man used mother's investment account, property, to prop up failing Aberdeen trucking business

The South Dakota Supreme Court has upheld the conviction of a man who mortgaged his enfeebled mother’s property and took out loans on her investment accounts in what prosecutors dubbed elder abuse.

Ronald Clemensen took out hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans from his mother’s Edward Jones account and also took out two mortgages on her farm property in Spink County totaling $1.5 million.

Prosecutors alleged that Clemensen used the money to prop up his flailing business, Crossroads Truck and Trailer in Aberdeen. According to Department of Transportation records, the company is currently not authorized to operate.