Cuyahoga County prosecutors: Nursing home worker stole credit cards from residents

CLEVELAND, Ohio — Cuyahoga County prosecutors say a former Westlake nursing home employee stole credit cards from residents.
Shiela Villanueva, 43, of Rocky River was arrested last month and charged with multiple felony counts of receiving stolen property and identity fraud. She denied the charges Tuesday during her arraignment in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court.
If convicted, Villanueva could face more than eight years in prison.
According to prosecutors, Villanueva worked at Rae Ann Suburban Nursing and Rehabilitation on Detroit Road when she committed the offenses. She stole credit cards and identifying information from seven victims between April 2024 and August of this year, prosecutors said.
A man who held a strained relationship with Villanueva first reported the allegations to Westlake police after he discovered images in her phone of credit cards and mail that did not belong to her, according to prosecutors.
She used the stolen cards to purchase items and services from DoorDash, Amazon, Whole Foods and other retailers, prosecutors said.
A representative of the senior care facility did not immediately respond to requests for comment Wednesday. WKYC, cleveland.com and The Plain Dealer’s news partner, reported that Villanueva was fired in August following an internal investigation.
After Tuesday’s hearing, Villanueva posted a $2,500 bond and surrendered her passport. She’s set to appear for a Jan. 5 pretrial hearing before Common Pleas Judge Nancy Fuerst.
Alissa Barbosky, an assistant county public defender assigned to the case, could not be reached for comment.