Home health aide arrested for stealing cash and debit card numbers from client

Staff report

HIGH SPRINGS, Fla. – Joshua Daniel Williams, 26, of Ocala, was arrested yesterday on a warrant for exploitation of an elderly adult after allegedly stealing cash and debit card information while working as a home health aide.

In June 2025, a relative of the victim reported to High Springs Police Department that over $2,500 in fraudulent transactions had been found on multiple debit cards belonging to the victim; the caller said the card had been replaced several times due to fraudulent activity, but the fraudulent transactions also appeared on the new cards. The caller also reportedly that $1,465 in cash had been taken from various locations in the victim’s home on multiple dates; she said they had not experienced any cash losses since Williams stopped working in the victim’s home.

The investigation found that between April 30 and June 7, the fraudulent transactions included car payments, insurance payments, payments to Walmart and restaurants, a Netflix subscription, a cell phone plan, and about $100 in Cash App transfers. The debit card was also used to pay for a three-night stay at a Holiday Inn Express in Gainesville.

On August 1, an HSPD officer met with Williams, and post Miranda, Williams said he was a nursing student at Rasmussen University in Ocala. He said he worked for HCP Home Health Agency and helped clients with household tasks. He said he never went into dressers, never took cash, never went into the victim’s purse, never took credit cards, and never took pictures of credit cards. He reportedly admitted using the victim’s debit card to pay for his car insurance and admitted to transfering money to a Cash App account that belonged to his deceased grandfather.

Williams at first said he had only used the victim’s card once, but he eventually admitted to using the card “once or twice” to make car payments and using it to pay for the hotel stay.

Williams reportedly admitted to taking pictures of debit and credit cards that he found in the victim’s wallet inside her purse. He reportedly said he stole from the victim because he was “low and did not have a job” and had to drive back and forth from Ocala to High Springs.

Williams has been charged with grand theft, exploitation of an elderly victim, fraudulent use of a debit or credit card, and using a two-way communications device to facilitate a felony. He has no criminal history, and Judge Joy Danne set bail at $20,000.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.