Exploiting Elderly Victims Gets Glendale Heights Ex-Nurse 10 Years

GLENDALE HEIGHTS, IL — A former Glendale Heights nurse has been sentenced to 10 years after she pleaded guilty to multiple felonies linked to exploiting and stealing from senior citizens between 2016 and 2019.

Destiney Baker, 37, pleaded guilty Monday to charges of theft by deception, aggravated identity theft of an elderly victim and financial exploitation of the elderly.

Authorities say Baker stole nearly $300,000 from seniors she met via a staffing agency while she was working as a CNA. Baker, who was accused of stealing 33 victims' information, used the funds for travel, family and veterinary expenses, a news release said.

She was arrested in 2019, but released on bail. In 2021, she was arrested for violating bond, police say, and was once again released on bail.

More charges were filed in 2022 after Baker was accused of using fake identification, including a dead person's name, according to police. She has been in custody since July 2022.

"Ms. Baker’s greed knew no bounds and her heartless theft from her elderly victims as well as the federal government fed that greed,” DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin said in a statement.

Berlin added, “The systemic theft of hundreds of thousands of dollars from elderly individuals who relied on her and trusted her and the theft of more than $80,000 intended to help businesses stay afloat during the pandemic is despicable. She caused immeasurable hardship for her victims, and for that she will now spend a significant amount of time behind bars.