Peterson was the head of Senior Lifestyles, an assisted living facility in Putnam County, which was raided last year by law enforcement, and Peterson was subsequently indicted on 28 charges related to allegations of elder abuse, financial exploitation, money laundering and obtaining controlled substances by fraud.
Thirteenth Judicial District Assistant District Attorney Mark Gore questioned Criminal Investigator Randal Slayton regarding his investigation into the allegations against Peterson during Monday's plea hearing in Putnam County Criminal Court.
"Our investigation was initiated as a result of a (Vulnerable Adult Protective Investigation Team) meeting," Slayton said. "There were a plethora of allegations that ranged, financial malfeasance against residents."
Slayton said during the investigation, which began in February 2018, he found a number of times when Peterson was found to be taking money or prescription medication from patients of Senior Lifestyles. He also discovered poor living conditions in the facility such as bed bugs and residents in urine-soaked clothing.
Slayton said that local law enforcement reports alleged residents had wandered from the facility and that financial crimes were committed against residents.
One of those crimes was against a man who reportedly began his stay at Senior Lifestyles with roughly $7,645.67 in his accounts prior to entering the facility. Slayton said shortly after the man moved in, the account began having withdrawals totaling thousands of dollars, including a roughly $200 purchase at Opry Mills. When Slayton interviewed Peterson, she admitted to the purchase at Opry Mills. Slayton testified that Peterson said she "had a good old time." Eventually, the entire account was drained.
After one patient left the facility, Peterson reportedly took that patient's remaining medication and told her daughter to destroy the packaging of the medication, according to Slayton.
Peterson also would reportedly overcharge rent from patients' bank accounts and take credit cards out under at least one patient's name.
The plea agreement results in an effective 10-year sentence; however, the plea agreement does not cover how Peterson serves the sentence.
Peterson pleaded guilty to 13 of the 28 charges:
• Knowing abuse, neglect or exploitation of an adult
• Financial exploitation of an elderly/vulnerable adult
• Financial exploitation of an elderly/vulnerable adult
• Financial exploitation of an elderly/vulnerable adult over $1,000.
• Theft of property over $2,500
• Financial exploitation of an elderly/vulnerable adult over $2,500
• Identity theft
• Financial exploitation of an elderly/vulnerable adult over $1,000
• Financial exploitation of elderly/vulnerable adult
• Financial exploitation of elderly/vulnerable adult over $2,500
• Financial exploitation of elderly/vulnerable adult over $1,000
• Financial exploitation of an elderly/vulnerable adult less than $1,000
• Financial exploitation of an elderly/vulnerable adult less than $1,000.
A sentencing hearing is set for March 23, 2020 in Putnam County Criminal Court. Defense attorneys said they plan to call at least one expert for the defense at the hearing. Judge Gary McKenzie presided over the case.
McKenzie requested she be supervised by the Tennessee Department of Corrections during the time leading up to the sentencing hearing.
"Months of investigation went into preparing to charge Ms. Butler. I am pleased that Butler’s exploitation of the residents of Senior Lifestyles was stopped," 13th Judicial District Attorney General Bryant Dunaway said.
"The effort of investigators and prosecutors in this case put a stop to the victimization of truly vulnerable people who could not help themselves and have prevented the victimization of many others. Our law enforcement community takes elder abuse very seriously. We get up everyday to do what we can to keep people from hurting others and to punish those who do."
Co-conspirator in the case, Brian Fitzhugh Richey was indicted with Peterson and pleaded guilty in February 2018 to one count of obtaining controlled substances by fraud, waiving his right to a jury trial. Richey was later indicted on federal charges relating to his time working with MedManagement Inc., which managed Pain MD.
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Peterson pleads guilty to multiple elder abuse charges
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