A personal care attendant in Boones Mill has pleaded guilty to stealing from a Vietnam War veteran she was hired to care for, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia.
Court documents show that Melissa Diana Simmons, 50, left the elderly victim in soiled clothes, drained his bank account, and forged his veterans’ checks. Simmons pleaded guilty to forgery of government checks after she and co-defendant James Patrick Brown were indicted in 2025.
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Here’s a timeline of the events, based on court records:
- May 2022: Simmons met the victim when she was assigned as his in-home care provider through a contract between her employer and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
- December 2022: The victim began making significantly larger withdrawals from his bank account, often through checks made out to Simmons and her boyfriend, Brown.
- June/July 2023: After Simmons was fired from her job in June, she convinced the victim to move in with her and Brown. By July, bank staff grew suspicious as Simmons and Brown frequently brought the victim to the drive-through for increasingly large withdrawals, eventually totaling tens of thousands of dollars. Staff also noticed the veteran’s health was declining and said he appeared “hunched over, confused and fearful,” according to court records.
- Mid-August 2023: Simmons had the victim add her as a signatory on his bank account. Within a month, about $30,000 was withdrawn, officials said.
- Mid-September 2023: When Simmons tried to make another large withdrawal, bank staff asked her to come inside. There, staff noticed the victim had a burned nose from smoking while using an oxygen tank, was confused, and smelled of urine and feces. He reportedly could not remember when he last bathed, ate, or visited the VA Medical Center. Staff persuaded him to open a new account without Simmons, but as they questioned him privately, Simmons began banging on the office window and shouting until police arrived.
- Shortly after, Brown visited the bank with the victim, asking how to get VA benefits and Social Security checks deposited into the account. Brown also tried to have the victim withdraw between $60,000 and $70,000. At that point, the victim’s condition had worsened, and he seemed confused as to why he was withdrawing money.
- Following these incidents, Franklin County Adult Protective Services launched an investigation. A staff member found that the victim was suffering from dementia after conducting a mental status exam.
- Nov. 18, 2023: Simmons and Brown reported to Roanoke County Fire and Rescue that the victim was non-responsive. He was hospitalized with acute respiratory failure and critically low oxygen. Medical records showed methamphetamine in his system, though he had no history of drug use and could not travel on his own.
- January through April 2024: While the victim recovered in the hospital and later at a rehab center, Simmons received four of his VA benefits checks by mail, totaling nearly $8,000. The indictment claims she forged his signature and deposited the checks into his new account. Simmons and Brown then used his debit card for personal expenses, including thousands spent at a casino.
- Oct. 22, 2024: Simmons admitted to VA Office of Inspector General agents that she forged the checks and, along with Brown, spent the victim’s money while he was hospitalized.
The VA Office of Inspector General, with help from the Franklin County Sheriff’s Office, continues to investigate the case. At this time, information regarding a sentencing date has not been provided.