A man described by police as “mentally disabled” has been found safe with family after being missing for weeks, Gwinnett County police said.
The man’s mother, Yvonne Longmire, had been arrested for allegedly using another man to pose as her son, Lee Earnest Longmire, in an attempt to gain control of a trust fund. Yvonne Longmire had refused to tell police where her 20-year-old son was, and lawyers controlling the trust fund said that Lee Earnest Longmire had not been seen publicly for multiple years.
READ | Cops: Mom arrested, disabled son still missing after scam attempt
MORE | Gwinnett cops: Mom tries to steal missing disabled son's trust fund
When Yvonne Longmire’s alleged scam was discovered, Lee Earnest Longmire was declared a ward of the state and assigned a guardian through the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services. Police did not believe Lee Earnest Longmire was in danger, but needed to find him in order to make state services available to him, according to one detective on the case.
Lee Earnest Longmire was found Friday, March 22, with extended family in a location not disclosed by police. He declined state care and will remain with the family members with whom he was found.
Yvonne Longmire is being held without bond at the Gwinnett County Detention Center on charges of forgery, identity theft, theft by deception, criminal solicitation and subornation of perjury.
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