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Former police officer charged with elder abuse
Pleasanton police arrest man; wife turns herself in

by Glenn Wohltmann

A Pleasanton man and former police officer has been arrested and his wife has surrendered to police in a scam that involved taking advantage of an 82-year-old Pleasanton woman.

Matthew Messier, 36, of the 400 block of Neal Street was arrested Friday on charges of grand theft, three counts of attempted grand theft, four counts of elder abuse, one count of forgery, one count of criminal conspiracy, one count of registering a fraudulent document and a count of practicing law without a license.

Police say Messier, a former police commander with the Pinole Police Department, used his position of authority to gain the trust of the victim, who put his entire estate under the control of the pair. Messier was still with the Pinole Police Department when the initial complaint surfaced, according to a news release.

Messier was arrested at his home Friday morning and booked into Santa Rita Jail.

His wife, Elizabeth Regalado, 30, was initially reported at large, but turned herself in at the Hayward Police Department later Friday.

Police describe the arrests as the culmination of a months-long investigation that began with a report by Alameda County Adult Protective Services.

Pleasanton police Sgt. Kurt Schlehuber said the victim was placed under conservatorship by a public guardian due to the fact she is susceptible to undue influence.

A complaint was filed by the Alameda County District Attorney's office and two warrants were obtained for Messier and Regalado's arrest.