Carlito Cortez, of Richboro, surrendered to authorities on Tuesday, Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn announced Wednesday
A former Bucks County police officer who admitted to attempting to defraud an elderly Langhorne woman of her estate has been sentenced to seven years of restricted probation following a grand jury investigation into the scheme.
Carlito Cortez, 60, of Richboro, was sentenced in Bucks County Court to seven years of restricted probation after entering a plea of nolo contendere in December to charges including criminal attempt to commit theft by deception, securing execution of documents by deception, theft by unlawful taking, receiving stolen property, false swearing, perjury, and official oppression, according to the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
Common Pleas Judge Charissa J. Liller ordered that the first 90 days of the sentence be served in home detention. Cortez must also have no contact with the victim, undergo a mental health evaluation, complete a decision-making class, and submit a formal letter of apology to the woman he targeted.
“This case serves as a firm reminder of our commitment to protecting our seniors from those who seek to exploit them,” Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan said in a statement. “Protecting our elders from this kind of abuse is a top priority, and we will continue to hold those in positions of power accountable when they violate the public’s trust.”
Authorities said the case stemmed from a 2020 theft investigation at the Langhorne woman’s home. Cortez, who at the time worked part time for both the Langhorne Borough and Yardley Borough police departments, allegedly used that initial contact to build a personal relationship with the victim.
According to investigators, Cortez later presented documents to the woman that he claimed granted him power of attorney. Instead, the paperwork was a last will and testament naming him as the primary beneficiary of her estate, valued at more than $500,000. The woman later told investigators she had not intended to leave her estate to Cortez and did not realize what she had signed.
The case was brought following an investigation by Bucks County Detectives and the 21st Investigating Grand Jury. Cortez was formally charged in May 2025.
During the sentencing hearing, the victim’s impact statement was read in court by Deputy District Attorney Alan J. Garabedian. In the statement, the now-77-year-old woman described the emotional toll of the ordeal and said the experience left her with a lasting loss of trust in others. She wrote that she now lives in fear and keeps her home constantly locked after being betrayed by someone she believed was there to help.
“The reason I am coming forward with this now is to protect other women in the future from being influenced by promises of affection, scare tactics, or emotional abuse,” the victim wrote.
The case was investigated by Bucks County Detective Timothy Johnson and prosecuted by Garabedian.
All suspects and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. This story was compiled using public court records and information released by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
