BRYAN, TX — On Monday, July 28, 2025, Judge David Hilburn of the 361st District Court sentenced 41-year-old Crystal Allen to 20 years in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice for her involvement in a scheme that defrauded a 64-year-old College Station woman of nearly all her life savings.
Allen pleaded guilty to Theft of Property $150,000-$300,000, Theft from the Elderly $2,500-$30,000, and Possession of a Controlled Substance.
The case began in September 2021 when the victim was hospitalized with an injury. A relative assisting in her care discovered significant sums of money missing from the victim’s accounts and alerted the College Station Police Department. The investigation revealed Allen had gained the woman’s trust and drained her finances over the course of a year.
Allen first met the victim in October 2020, initially offering to help with errands, cleaning, and deliveries. Over time, she gained access to the victim’s personal and financial information, fraudulently opened bank accounts, paid her own bills using the victim's funds, and transferred money to herself using digital payment platforms such as PayPal and Square.
At the beginning of their relationship, the victim had over $260,000 in three bank accounts. By the time the theft was discovered, the total remaining balance had dropped to less than $4,000.
Allen had a prior felony conviction for Burglary of a Habitation and was also arrested in Burleson County for Theft by Check while these charges were pending. As part of her sentence, Allen has been ordered to pay $260,000 in restitution to the victim.
The case was investigated by Detective Stephen Schoellman of the College Station Police Department. Assistant District Attorneys Rachel Porter and Kevin Capps prosecuted the case with support from Investigator Tiffany Graves and Victim Assistance Coordinator Shae Cooks.
The prosecution emphasized the emotional and financial harm caused by Allen’s actions and praised the police department’s investigative efforts in securing justice for the victim.
