Police: Adviser stole from couple [Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.]

Feb. 26--WINDBER -- A Salix man was charged with theft after police said he stole more than $449,000 he was to invest for a Windber couple.

Jeffrey A. Wicks, 38, of the 2000 block of Oakridge Drive, is expected to turn himself in to authorities today.

Windber police said Wicks was to deposit the money in the JSTC Credit Union for Robert and Helen Baker between June 2001 and December 2009.

Instead, Wicks allegedly kept the money and then gave the Bakers false documents, police said.

The couple confronted Wicks when they discovered the credit union had no accounts in their names, police said.

At the time, Wicks was a representative for the MetLife office, 504 Schoolhouse Road, Richland Township and also was an independent financial consultant, said Robert "Gunner" Gleason, his Johnstown attorney.

Wicks is charged with 16 counts each of theft by deception, theft by failure to deposit funds and receiving stolen property.

He will be arraigned by District Judge Joseph Cannoni of Windber.

Wicks was to deposit 14 checks with the credit union totaling $399,375. He also allegedly took $49,743 that was to be invested by the Bakers with MetLife, which caused the couple to have outstanding loans with the company, police said.

Wicks reportedly told the Bakers he would do odd jobs to repay the money.

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