Ogden nursing home worker with criminal record accused of exploiting residents

Mary Olwyn Booth

OGDEN — A woman with a history of retail theft, forgery and crimes against the elderly or disabled has been charged with committing similar crimes at an Ogden nursing home, according to the Weber County District Attorney.

Court records show Mary Olwyn Booth, 61, was charged Aug. 28 with six counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult, all third-degree felonies; unlawful acquisition, possession or transfer of a financial transaction card, a third-degree felony; and four counts of unlawful use of a financial transaction card, a Class B misdemeanor.

Booth was hired Feb. 1 by Crestwood Rehabilitation and Nursing, a nursing home for the elderly at 3665 Brinker Ave., court documents say. Booth worked in the salon and provided hair care services to the residents, who would pay her through trust accounts — the individual funds managed for them by the facility’s administrative staff.

Shortly after being hired, Booth requested a Square credit card reader to accept payments from residents or family members who wanted to pay her directly, court records say.

Booth was supposed to turn in a log sheet of services she’d provided weekly in order to be paid from the trust accounts, but Crestwood did not require her to account for payments processed with the Square card reader, charging documents say.

Questions were raised, court documents say, when Booth allegedly turned in a log sheet May 6 showing all five residents to whom she’d provided salon services wanted to tip her either $5 or $10 — including a resident described as “non-verbal.”

A staff investigation revealed the residents, “four of whom are very much alert and would be able to articulate their desire to give Mary a tip,” had their wishes misrepresented by Booth and either hadn’t offered a tip or asked to tip $1, court documents say.

Further investigation by Utah Adult Protective Services alleged Booth unlawfully used a resident’s credit card information to deposit money to her own bank account on at least four occasions, totaling $213.75 in unauthorized charges.

Reached by phone, the manager at Crestwood Care Center declined to comment on the investigation.

Court records show Booth has prior convictions in Utah for similar crimes:

• Last August, Booth was charged with retail theft and theft by deception in Salt Lake County for making fraudulent returns at a Nordstrom Rack store totaling $695.33 and stealing a $300 pair of boots. She pleaded guilty to an amended charge of attempted retail theft, a Class A misdemeanor, and was placed on 18 months probation.
• In September 2002, Booth was charged with eight counts of forgery, a third-degree felony. She pleaded guilty to three of the counts. Records show she was ordered to serve probation after 90 days in jail.
• In July 2002, Booth was charged with exploitation of a disabled or elderly adult, a third-degree felony. She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 36 months probation. 

Booth is being held in Weber County Jail on $39,000 bail and is next scheduled to appear in court Aug. 31. 

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Ogden nursing home worker with criminal record accused of exploiting residents