McKinney police detail two investigations: elder fraud leads to multistate arrest, detective locates missing child

McKINNEY, Texas — McKinney Police Chief Ellenberg on Dec. 16 highlighted two recent investigations that staff said demonstrate the department’s investigative technology and interagency cooperation.

Chief Ellenberg recounted an elder-fraud investigation in which an 82-year-old woman was scammed out of $40,000. Officer Matthew Swanson reviewed door-cam footage, searched nearby camera footage and used license-plate and investigative databases to link a white Range Rover to suspects. The vehicle was later stopped in Huntsville, where officers found stolen mail and more than $45,000 in cash. "Thanks to Officer Swanson's persistence and smart use of technology like Flock, Accurate, and Axon, these high level scammers... were finally caught," Chief Ellenberg said.

In a separate case, Detective Eric Fromholt located a mother and child who were concealing their whereabouts after a custody dispute and a temporary restraining order. According to the chief, Fromholt used live phone pings and the national license-plate database to find the family in Winona, Indiana, coordinated with local police there and secured the child's safe recovery. A felony warrant for interference with child custody had been issued prior to the location and arrest.

Chief Ellenberg invited council and staff to photograph and recognize the officers; Detective Fromholt deferred to a deputy chief for the photo because of an undercover assignment. No policy actions or votes followed the presentation.