Park County Man Charged with Exploiting 90-Year-Old Cody Woman, Allegedly Stealing Over $100,000

A Cody man who claimed to be the “business partner” of a 90-year-old woman with a failing memory has been charged with exploiting her, allegedly stealing more than $100,000 over at least three years. Joseph “Joey” E. Newton, 60, faces three felony counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult for reportedly convincing the elderly woman to write him dozens of checks for large sums, including money for bail and attorney’s fees.

The investigation revealed a pattern of large withdrawals from the woman’s accounts for questionable purposes, including $8,000 to “bail out a friend,” $10,000 for bail and legal fees, and a $50,000 sum in 2021 for a home construction project that was never started. According to a Cody police affidavit, these withdrawals drained one of her accounts from approximately $200,000 to just $8,000. A court-appointed conservator concluded the woman had given Newton at least $150,000 since 2019 and that she was being “ripped off.”

Newton allegedly described their “business partnership” as one where he would buy items with the woman’s money, repair them, and sell them, returning the cash to her. However, the woman could not explain what happened to the supposed profits and told investigators, “I don’t care if I get my money back or not, because money doesn’t mean anything to me.” Multiple witnesses, including the woman’s doctor, her church leader, and friends, expressed serious concern about her declining memory and the exploitative nature of her relationship with Newton.

Newton remains in the Park County Detention Center on $250,000 cash-only bond. If convicted, he faces up to 30 years in prison and fines of up to $30,000.