SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) — A man who allegedly abused his power of attorney has entered a plea of guilty in federal court in Sioux City Wednesday.

According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office Northern District of Iowa, Hamilton Girard, 65, of Stillwater, Minnesota, was charged with one count of wire fraud.

In the plea agreement, Girard admitted that in Feb. 2020 he was designated as an agent, and given power of attorney for an elderly person diagnosed with early-onset dementia. With the power of attorney, Gurard misappropriated about $149,000 of the victim’s funds.

The report says Girard signed and issued unauthorized checks from the victim’s personal checking account to purchase items such as home improvement and home construction-related goods and services.

Girard remains free on a bond previously set. He faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, and 3 years of supervised release following imprisonment.