CLACKAMAS, Ore. -- A McMinnville woman will spend more than six years in jail for swindling her grandparents out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Connie Cole, 48, was sentenced last week for criminal mistreatment, theft and illegally obtaining food stamps in a string of crimes investigators said go back at least three years.

A relative contacted police in late 2005 to report Cole was taking advantage of her elderly grandparents, Ann and James Morgan. At the time, detectives said Cole was living in a Gladstone home purchased by the Morgan’s.

Clackamas County

Over the next few months, deputies said Cole was granted power of attorney over the couple, moving them out of a retirement home and in with her. During that period Cole took nearly $500,000 from their various accounts.

Investigators learned that Cole spent the cash on cars, trucks, boats, jet skis, camping trailers, jewelry, luxurious meals and gambling, all the while charging her grandparents $7,000 a month for rent and caretaking. She was also receiving food stamps from the state.

One witness told police that Cole bought a home in Sheridan, in order to be closer to the Spirit Mountain Casino.

Eventually, the Morgan's money ran out and relatives had to move them into a foster care home, where Social Security accounts provided their only income.

When deputies arrested Cole at her McMinnville home in June she was living with a paroled sex offender, investigators said.

Investigators said the case took over a year to bring to a grand jury, since so many state agencies and banks had to be interviewed.

Clackamas detectives called it one of the worst cases of elder abuse and welfare fraud they had ever seen.

Cole was sentenced to 75 months in prison.