Court appointed accountant charged with theft, exploitation

By: Darcy Spears

 

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Accused of stealing from a disabled client because he knew nobody would notice… problem is: someone eventually did. Now the troubled guardianship program 13 Action News has exposed over and over again has a new problem: The arrest of a court-appointed accountant.

Certified Public Accountant Joshua Gottesman is facing nearly 50 criminal charges--all them felonies---including theft and exploitation of a vulnerable person. All of it happened under the not-so-watchful eye of Clark County Family Court.

This all stems from the guardianship case of Garrett Dosch. Garrett and his family received nearly $7 million from a medical malpractice lawsuit due to life-altering injuries he and his twin brother suffered when they were born.

According to the arrest report, Gottesman was appointed by Clark County Family Court in 2005 to manage Garrett's trust account.

But the report states by March, 2017, Gottesman stole more than $190,000 of the disabled man's money.

He has since repaid most of the money, but Gottesman admitted to investigators he took it simply because he could. He said he knew no one was watching and he could get away with it, according to the arrest report.

Authorities say when Gottesman's personal accounts were drained or overdrawn, he took money from Garrett's trust and spent it on things like "dating websites and video games, pet spa care, traveling and eating out."

Court records show Gottesman was only caught because the Guardianship Compliance Officer found he failed to file required accountings for 12 years. The position of the Compliance Officer was created after my years-long investigation uncovered massive corruption and heartbreaking exploitation in Clark County's guardianship system.

Gottesman declined our request for an on-camera interview. His next court date is in May.

Clark County District Court provided the following statement after we asked if the court would hold any of its employees accountable for the problems we've exposed in the guardianship system including the recent charges file against Gottesman:

Judicial officers followed the law when handling guardianship cases. Since issues with the guardianship system came to light, significant statutory changes were passed in the Legislature. A 50 page bill of guardianship changes was passed last year. Additional changes to the guardianship laws are currently being considered by the legislature. The court has also added resources to guardianship cases to ensure the well-being of protected persons. Guardianship cases are now heard exclusively by district court judges, rather than hearing masters. Two district court judges have been assigned to guardianship cases on a full-time basis. Investigators and compliance officers have been hired to follow up and investigate information presented in guardianship cases. Our case management technology has been improved to automate functions and facilitate effective tracking. Counsel is now appointed for each adult protected person. The District Court is working hard to improve the system to protect the most vulnerable in our community.

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Court appointed accountant charged with theft, exploitation

Nevada guardianship reform goes to Washington

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — Our reporting is driving change to protect people from serious crimes.

13 Investigates has revealed exploitation of our most vulnerable citizens in a years-long special report on horrific abuse in the guardianship system.

Now we follow the story as it goes to our nation's capital.

"Guardianship abuse hit many in Nevada. It destroyed the lives of countless individuals, depriving them of their liberty, their right to see their family and their assets," says Barbara Buckley, Executive Director for Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada.

The stories we filed, beginning in 2015, about cases of theft and exploitation is leading to major reform in how we care for the vulnerable.

Buckley took Nevada's experience to the nation's top-level lawmakers. In a hearing before the Senate Special Committee on Aging she talked of the crimes committed against elderly and disabled adults in Nevada, all under court approval...

"Guardians were being appointed without notice often when there was no real need for a guardian," Buckley told senators. "The court bypassed family members to appoint professional guardians or others who proceeded to loot the estate and then isolate the individual from loved their loved ones."

Many of the victims told us they felt the system was rigged against families. Senator Richard Blumenthal from Connecticut questions the judges assigned to guardianship cases.

"And these judges are essentially beyond any oversight and very often they have their own fiefdoms. Literally; their own private kingdoms. They make a ton of money," Sen. Blumenthal said.

Buckley told the senators about three key areas of reform in Nevada's guardianship system that were implemented in the wake of our investigation. Ideas that could help protect seniors in the future, like the right to have an attorney.

"The goal of counsel is to ensure that the least restrictive alternative to guardianship is the first thing examined," Buckley said. "So as to maximize the independence and legal rights of those who are facing guardianship. To provide a voice in court proceedings for those who want to contest a guardianship either because it's unnecessary or because the guardian is abusing their power."

The second piece of reform is creating a Bill of Rights for protected persons that would end the previous lack of consideration for those under guardianship.

"In Nevada, like many other places, there seems to be almost a callous indifference about the rights of the individual under guardianship--where their opinion really didn't matter." Buckley explained.

"A person has the right to be treated with dignity, respect, to be in the least restrictive environment, be represented by counsel. To not have their visitors restricted."

The third plank, key to ongoing protection, a direct result of our investigation, is the creation of the Guardianship Compliance Office. 
 
"This office opened in January 2018 and provides auditing and investigative services to the district courts," Buckley said. "They may locate a protected person who is not where they are supposed to be. They may report on the appropriateness of the guardian and the care and treatment."

The senate just released this report called ensuring trust about the effort to overhaul guardianship.

And you can see the entire hearing by clicking here.

Full Article & Source:
Nevada guardianship reform goes to Washington

Nevada sets up guardianship abuse hotline

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) - Nevada's highest court established the Guardianship Compliance Office after a years-long Contact 13 Investigation uncovered corruption in the system that is supposed to protect our most vulnerable residents.

The Guardianship Compliance Office now has a toll-free fraud hotline (833) 421-7711 to report concerns about exploitation.

The Nevada Supreme Court issued the following information for more details:

The Nevada Guardianship Compliance Office has established a toll-free guardianship fraud hotline at (833) 421-7711.

The number will connect concerned Nevadan with a team of professionals who will review case files and evaluate the information in the file using investigation techniques and financials tools. The goal of the professionals in the Nevada Guardianship Compliance Office is to help the courts protect Nevada’s vulnerable citizens.

Anyone is encouraged to call the hotline if they suspect someone of misusing a protected person’s finances or guardianship assets.

Detailed information about the Nevada Guardianship Compliance Office can be found online.

Legislation creating the Nevada Guardianship Compliance Office took effect January 1, 2018. The Commission to Study the Administration of Guardianships in Nevada’s Courts proposed seven major reforms, including the Nevada Guardianship Compliance Office, resulting in five bills approved in the Legislature and signed by Governor Brian Sandoval.

Creation of the Nevada Guardianship Compliance Office, a Guardianship Bill of Rights, and mandatory appointment of legal counsel for persons in need of protection were all enacted by legislation.

Full Article & Source:
Nevada sets up guardianship abuse hotline

Metro police officer charged in Guardianship exploitation case

Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) - A Metro Police Lieutenant was jailed Wednesday, Valentine's Day, caught up in a sweeping indictment involving elder exploitation.  Contact 13 Darcy Spears continues her years-long expose on guardianship abuse with this heart- breaking case.

He was supposed to serve and protect but instead he's accused of felony crimes for using Clark County's guardianship system to steal from the estate of a vulnerable couple. And this police officer is directly connected to others first exposed in our ongoing investigation of guardianship corruption.

Lieutenant James Thomas Melton is a decorated police veteran.  As a sergeant, Melton received a group Medal of Valor and Purple Heart in 2009 for being wounded during a domestic violence call where a baby was pulled away from gunfire.

He was also a homicide detective and Metro's SWAT commander--making about $300,000 a year including benefits.

But Valentine's Day, a fall from grace as Melton was indicted by a grand jury and charged with stealing the life savings, over $700,000 from an 87-year-old widow suffering from dementia.

Court records claim Melton deceived the court after the victim died, representing that she was still alive so he could be named beneficiary on various accounts.

And Melton didn't act alone. The indictment shows he hired private guardian April Parks. Parks is already in jail facing over 200 felony counts after our investigation revealed she was double-billing and exploiting clients.

Parks, her attorney Noel Palmer Simpson and former office manager Mark Simmons all face additional charges of exploitation for working with Melton.

According to the indictment, Melton is also accused of stealing the victim's Ford Explorer and taking $2,187.50  from her Disabled American Veterans Charitable Service Trust.

Melton is expected to be in court next week. When allegations first surfaced in July, he was put on leave with pay. Metro says he will now be relieved of duty without pay.  The trial for Parks and her co-defendants is scheduled for May.

Full Article & Source:
Metro police officer charged in Guardianship exploitation case

Attorney General launches new teams to protect seniors

Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) - Nevada's top prosecutor is stepping up to help protect vulnerable residents of our community.

Contact 13 has the details in an ongoing coverage of corruption in Nevada's guardianship system.

Attorney General Adam Laxalt announced today that his office is putting teams together to help local police recognize elder abuse and exploitation.

Our series of investigative reports uncovered heart-wrenching cases where loved ones were isolated from their families while their life savings were drained.

Calling it the "...largest criminal guardianship abuse case in Nevada history", Laxalt referred to former private, for-profit guardian April Parks.  Following our Contact 13 investigation, Parks and her business associates were arrested and charged with hundreds of felony counts, including racketeering and exploitation.

Family members of victims told us Parks often used the threat of calling police as a means to intimidate and isolate those she was assigned by the court to protect.

Court records from Parks' case state sometimes "police were with Parks...to create further fear"

Using new grant money from the department of justice, the AG's office is forming several teams to train local police, first responders, guardians and others to help seniors get the services they need without being exploited.

The new teams will hold training sessions through out this year, in both Southern and Northern Nevada. The AG's office also released a new elder abuse resource guide.

Full Article & Source:
Attorney General launches new teams to protect seniors

Fraud and embezzlement alleged in guardianship lawsuit

Las Vegas (KTNV) - A handful of professionals who are supposed to protect the vulnerable now face allegations of fraud.

Contact 13 Chief Investigator Darcy Spears has new information about Clark County's troubled guardianship system.

"This has to stop!"

Four simple words, fraught with emotion and resolve.

"I hope to get back what was right--what's supposed to rightfully be mine; what I believe was stolen from me. And I want justice."

Twenty-eight-year-old Jason Hanson suffers from cerebral palsy. His limbs don't work well, but his mind is sharp.

He's sat by watching private guardians and their associates get indicted, but says he's done waiting for law enforcement to act in his case.

"And so I just decided to take matters into my own hands."

A civil lawsuit filed this week in Clark County alleges racketeering, fraud, negligence and unjust enrichment at Jason's expense.

He names former Public Administrator Jared Shafer, current Public Administrator John Cahill, and attorneys Francis Fine, Dara Goldsmith and Elyse Tyrell. Tyrell served on the Nevada Supreme Court's Guardianship Reform Commission.

"I believe that it all comes back to Jared Shafer, but personally I think that Shafer and his associates are all equally guilty," said Hanson.

In the lawsuit, Shafer and the others are accused of "Using their roles in the guardianship and probate systems to deprive Mr. Hanson of the limited resources which were left to him by his father and grandmother."

It alleges they charged "excessive fees" and committed "multiple fraudulent acts of embezzlement" of Jason's money.

While in the guardianship system, Jason lost his house and was placed in a group home at taxpayers' expense after his father passed away.

The guardianship should have ended in 2007 when Jason turned 18, but it wasn't officially closed until Contact 13 got involved seven years later.

All the while, Jason's money was being spent.

He got nearly $40,000 of it back this past April when his foster mother and legal guardian, Susan Rousselle, pleaded guilty to exploitation and paid him restitution.

"I'm relieved at that, but it's only the first step in a very long, long journey and I won't stop until that journey has reached it's conclusion."

We reached out to every defendant named in the lawsuit.

None of them returned our calls for comment.

On behalf of Public Administrator John Cahill, the county declined to comment on pending litigation.

Jason's case is known to the District Attorney and an investigation is ongoing.

Full Article & Source:
Fraud and embezzlement alleged in guardianship lawsuit

Dignity and choice sought in guardianship alternative in Nevada

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) - From protection to support.

That's the move state leaders are making as they work toward an alternative to guardianship.

It's part of the statewide changes set in motion by a years-long Contact 13 investigation that changed lives and laws. Today marks the next wave in the sea of change for guardianship reform.

A District Court judge is leading a team that will travel across Nevada looking to give power and dignity back to seniors and adults with disabilities who would otherwise be conscripted into guardianship.

Second Judicial District Judge Frances Doherty is spearheading the effort to fulfill a fundamental promise: the right to make choices in our own lives with the support of trusted family and friends.

The system of supported decision-making is being proposed as a less-restrictive alternative to traditional guardianship. 

It maximizes independence and responsibility by allowing trusted supporters to help affected adults make life choices about housing, health care, education, employment and social matters.

Traditional guardianship doesn't allow you to make final decisions. Depending on the guardian, you may not get to make any decisions at all.

That makes the system ripe for the type of abuse exposed in our guardianship series -- many of our stories about private guardian April Parks.

Parks and her associates, who've been accused of being a criminal syndicate, are awaiting trial -- accused of exploiting the vulnerable adults they were court-appointed to protect.

The supported decision-making outreach group will hold events in Northern Nevada starting today.

They'll be in Clark County this fall.

Anyone interested in a visit should contact Jackie Bryant (Jackie.Bryant@washoecourts.us) or Diana Zuccarini (Diana.Zuccarini@washoecourts.us), the administrative assistant to Judge Doherty. Diana's number is: 775-328-3470.

The outreach group is trying to maximize the groups Judge Doherty will be able to meet with while in Clark County.

Full Article & Source:
Dignity and choice sought in guardianship alternative in Nevada

UPDATE: Private guardian April Parks behind bars in Las Vegas

UPDATE APRIL 5: April Lynn Parks was a private, professional guardian appointed by Clark County Family Court to protect hundreds of vulnerable people.

Parks admitted to Contact 13's Darcy Spears on camera in 2015 that she made major mistakes with her client's money, including in one case, charging an elderly woman $108 for a pair of stretch pants.

Parks was the ringleader of a small group employed by her. They've all been indicted for draining the accounts of those they were supposed to care for while isolating them from their families.

Parks faces more than 200 felony criminal charges for racketeering, theft, exploitation and perjury.

She was arrested in Pennsylvania on March 8, extradited to Las Vegas and booked into Clark County Detention Center Tuesday.

Contact 13's investigation helped lead the way for reform in the guardianship system and the criminal case against Parks.

That came just in time as we uncovered in court documents that Parks was about to expand her business and hire more staff. She'd gotten a contract with Valley Health System's six Las Vegas hospitals, which would make her the first choice to refer patients for guardianship services.  

There's no telling how many of those potential referrals could have fallen victim to the alleged crimes Parks and her associates are charged with. Valley Health Systems declined to comment.

Contact 13 requested an on-camera interview with April Parks at the jail but haven't heard back. And we tried to reach her attorney but his voicemail was full.

UPDATE MARCH 27: Mark Simmons is now behind bars in Las Vegas. Simmons faces 134 felony criminal charges including racketeering, exploitation of the elderly and theft. 

He was extradited from Indiana and booked into Clark County Detention Center this weekend. He is scheduled to appear before a judge on Wednesday. 

UPDATE MARCH 14: Private for profit guardian April Parks is now behind bars. She and three others were indicted last week for running a criminal enterprise involving theft and exploitation.

Court records show Parks disregarded her duty as a guardian, treating the vulnerable as "cash cows."

In one example, Parks and her business partner Mark Simmons profited from a scam where they bought Christmas gifts for their wards, such as popcorn, socks and other small items. When the wards received the gifts, they were charged at a hourly rate of $100 per hour.

Clients were also billed when Parks' husband Gary Taylor drove to the courthouse and waited in line to file papers that could have been submitted online.

UPDATE MARCH 09: April Parks was arrested by local police in East Goshen Township, PA.

The Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department charged Parks with being a fugitive from justice and she was arraigned.  Her bail was set at $500,000 dollars.  Parks was remanded to Chester County Prison pending extradition to Clark County, Nevada.

ORIGINAL STORY

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) -- What started with a Contact 13 investigation has led to hundreds of felony charges against four suspects for the way authorities say they treated people in their care.

This is the latest move in cases involving more than 150 victims and nearly $560,000 in stolen money.

It's the most significant guardianship exploitation indictment in Nevada's history -- so says Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt in what authorities hope will wipe out a long-standing crime wave in our state.

Cheers and fist pumps erupted in the Regional Justice Center lobby from a crowd of people who haven't had much to celebrate over the last few years.

On Wednesday, they went from victim to victor as April Parks, the woman who they say stole everything from their loved ones, was indicted.

"Today, law enforcement sends a clear message to those who take advantage of our most vulnerable citizens," said Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson.

Contact 13 first exposed April Lynn Parks in early 2015 when she told Darcy Spears, "I do it because I love it," in reference to her work as a private, professional guardian.

Guardians are appointed by the court to protect and serve their wards. They're entrusted with every aspect of a person's life, including their health care and their money.

"I can't imagine a class of people more susceptible to criminals than wards of a court," said Wolfson.

Parks, her husband Gary Taylor, her attorney Noel Palmer Simpson and her office manager Mark Simmons are together facing 270 felony counts of perjury, racketeering, filing false records, theft and exploitation.

The charges involve more than 150 victims who've lost more than half a million dollars.

Authorities say Parks and her co-defendants used a position of trust and authority to prey on disabled, vulnerable people ranging in age from 40 to 90, and systematically bilk them out of their life savings.

"I've never been so happy in my life! All the thousands of hours and dollars I put into this was not in vain," said Elizabeth Indig, whose mother was one of Parks' wards.

So were Julie Belshe's parents -- Rudy and Rennie North. Contact 13 broke their story in February 2015.

"When I reached out to you I was very traumatized," said Belshe. "I didn't know what to do!"

As for Wednesday's indictments, Belshe says, "It restored my faith in the people, in the justice system -- that there are good people in our system that are working and they're on our side -- the citizens' side. Because you start to think, who's going to believe me? Because you tell these stories and they're unbelievable!"

"I really think this is going to send a very strong message to the other guardians and the attorneys and the judges who aided and abetted her in this," said Indig. "And I think maybe Nevada will be clean of this crime and people can move here and retire without fear of losing everything."

Contact 13 will have more on the Family Court system's role in all this as the report continues on Thursday.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, all four defendants had been arrested in law enforcement actions across the country.

April Parks was arrested by local police in East Goshen Township, PA.

The Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department charged Parks with being a fugitive from justice and she was arraigned.  Her bail was set at $500,000.00 dollars.  Parks was remanded to Chester County Prison pending extradition to Clark County, Nevada.

Full Article & Source:
UPDATE: Private guardian April Parks behind bars in Las Vegas

Guardianship abuse defendant faces judge

Published on Mar 29, 2017

According to prosecutors, Mark Simmons acted as private, professional guardian April Parks' right-hand man.

Source: 

Guardianship abuse defendant faces judge

CONTACT 13: Guardianship abuse defendant faces judge

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) - The No. 2 defendant in the state's largest-ever case of elderly exploitation is now behind bars in Las Vegas.

 

According to prosecutors, Mark Simmons acted as private, professional guardian April Parks' right-hand man.

 

A former employee describes Simmons as the "Air Traffic Controller" in Parks's guardianship office that was allegedly run as a criminal syndicate. Parks is charged with more than 200 felony counts while Simmons faces more than 100 counts including racketeering and perjury. 

The man who pulled in hundreds of thousands of dollars when he supposed to protect the elderly told a judge Wednesday he couldn't afford an attorney.  

 

According to court documents, Parks and Simmons told people Simmons was qualified to evaluate the elderly to determine if they suffered from dementia or Alzheimer's. But investigators say he was not a qualified social worker or medical professional.  

 

Despite that, they found several cases where the so-called mental evaluation by Simmons "was used as the sole evidence, or as supporting evidence, to the court for determination if an elderly person needed guardianship." 

 

Court records also show evidence of Simmons hand-calculating how many hours of service to bill a client to "zero out her last remaining dollars."

 

Simmons will be arraigned next week after the Public Defender's Office considers whether to appoint him an attorney.

 

Full Article & Source:

CONTACT 13: Guardianship abuse defendant faces judge

CONTACT 13: Las Vegas attorney in guardianship case charged

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) - A Las Vegas attorney involved in a guardianship abuse scandal faced a judge Wednesday.

Noel Palmer Simpson worked for private guardian April Parks and three of her associates.

Simpson is looking at two felony charges for theft and filing false documents. She is part of the sweeping guardianship abuse indictment involving more than 200 felony counts.

According to court records, Simpson and Parks changed the beneficiary on an elderly client's life insurance policy without court permission while Simpson "used the legal system to divert and capture more than $25,000."

The client wanted the money to go to her friends, but Simpson created a probate case so when the client died, she and Parks could charge estate fees.

Although Simpson is only facing two charges, court records claim she was involved in many other incidents.

Contact 13 discovered that Simpson worked with another disgraced guardian, Patience Bristol, who was convicted for exploiting and stealing from her elderly and vulnerable clients. Bristol is serving up to 8 years in prison.

If found guilty, Simpson could be looking at one to 10 years in prison for the theft charge and one to five years for filing the false document. Her next court appearance is in September.

Full Article & Source:
CONTACT 13: Las Vegas attorney in guardianship case charged

UPDATE: Court records show guardian charged wards for Christmas gifts

UPDATE MARCH 14: Private for profit guardian April Parks is now behind bars. She and three others were indicted last week for running a criminal enterprise involving theft and exploitation.

Court records show Parks disregarded her duty as a guardian, treating the vulnerable as "cash cows."

In one example, Parks and her business partner Mark Simmons profited from a scam where they bought Christmas gifts for their wards, such as popcorn, socks and other small items. When the wards received the gifts, they were charged at a hourly rate of $100 per hour.

Clients were also billed when Parks' husband Gary Taylor drove to the courthouse and waited in line to file papers that could have been submitted online.

UPDATE MARCH 09: April Parks was arrested by local police in East Goshen Township, PA.

The Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department charged Parks with being a fugitive from justice and she was arraigned.  Her bail was set at $500,000 dollars.  Parks was remanded to Chester County Prison pending extradition to Clark County, Nevada.

ORIGINAL STORY

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) -- What started with a Contact 13 investigation has led to hundreds of felony charges against four suspects for the way authorities say they treated people in their care.

This is the latest move in cases involving more than 150 victims and nearly $560,000 in stolen money.

It's the most significant guardianship exploitation indictment in Nevada's history -- so says Nevada Attorney General Adam Laxalt in what authorities hope will wipe out a long-standing crime wave in our state.

Cheers and fist pumps erupted in the Regional Justice Center lobby from a crowd of people who haven't had much to celebrate over the last few years.

On Wednesday, they went from victim to victor as April Parks, the woman who they say stole everything from their loved ones, was indicted.

"Today, law enforcement sends a clear message to those who take advantage of our most vulnerable citizens," said Clark County District Attorney Steve Wolfson.

Contact 13 first exposed April Lynn Parks in early 2015 when she told Darcy Spears, "I do it because I love it," in reference to her work as a private, professional guardian.

Guardians are appointed by the court to protect and serve their wards. They're entrusted with every aspect of a person's life, including their health care and their money.

"I can't imagine a class of people more susceptible to criminals than wards of a court," said Wolfson.

Parks, her husband Gary Taylor, her attorney Noel Palmer Simpson and her office manager Mark Simmons are together facing 270 felony counts of perjury, racketeering, filing false records, theft and exploitation.

The charges involve more than 150 victims who've lost more than half a million dollars.

Authorities say Parks and her co-defendants used a position of trust and authority to prey on disabled, vulnerable people ranging in age from 40 to 90, and systematically bilk them out of their life savings.

"I've never been so happy in my life! All the thousands of hours and dollars I put into this was not in vain," said Elizabeth Indig, whose mother was one of Parks' wards.

So were Julie Belshe's parents -- Rudy and Rennie North. Contact 13 broke their story in February 2015.

"When I reached out to you I was very traumatized," said Belshe. "I didn't know what to do!"

As for Wednesday's indictments, Belshe says, "It restored my faith in the people, in the justice system -- that there are good people in our system that are working and they're on our side -- the citizens' side. Because you start to think, who's going to believe me? Because you tell these stories and they're unbelievable!"

"I really think this is going to send a very strong message to the other guardians and the attorneys and the judges who aided and abetted her in this," said Indig. "And I think maybe Nevada will be clean of this crime and people can move here and retire without fear of losing everything."

Contact 13 will have more on the Family Court system's role in all this as the report continues on Thursday.

As of late Wednesday afternoon, all four defendants had been arrested in law enforcement actions across the country.

April Parks was arrested by local police in East Goshen Township, PA.

The Westtown-East Goshen Regional Police Department charged Parks with being a fugitive from justice and she was arraigned.  Her bail was set at $500,000.00 dollars.  Parks was remanded to Chester County Prison pending extradition to Clark County, Nevada.

Full Article & Source:
UPDATE: Court records show guardian charged wards for Christmas gifts

CONTACT 13: Another guardian charged with abuse

Jason Hanson

by  Darcy Spears

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) - Another private guardian was charged with abuse of a vulnerable person on Thursday.

The young victim in the case was the first to come forward and talk with Contact 13 about corruption in the guardianship system.

Jason Hanson's guardianship case was supposed to end when he became an adult. But Contact 13 discovered the court kept it open for seven years after his 18th birthday. And during that time, several so-called professionals came in and out of his life while the money set aside for his care dwindled away.

Darcy: "Did you get lost in the system or do you think it's more sinister than that?"
Jason: "I don't know if I got lost in the system or if it was more underhanded than that. But the system definitely needs to change."

Jason has Cerebral Palsy. He's mentally competent, but has special physical needs as he's confined to a wheelchair.

Susan Rousselle was appointed as guardian by the court to look after Jason when he was 16 after his father died. The court later appointed her as trustee of Hanson's special needs account, which was established for his care by an inheritance from his grandmother.

But a grand jury indictment accuses Rousselle of stealing more than $50,000 from that account and using it for her own personal benefit. She's facing 44 felony counts of theft and exploitation.

Susan Rouselle Indictment by Kean Bauman on Scribd

Former Clark County Public Administrator Jared Shafer was also involved in Jason's case. At one time, Shafer employed convicted private guardian Patience Bristol, who's now in prison for stealing cash, jewelry and more from her wards.

Full Article & Source:
CONTACT 13: Another guardian charged with abuse

CONTACT 13: Guardianship crimes occurred in courtroom

by Darcy Spears

LAS VEGAS (KTNV) - In the past two days, multiple individuals who were supposed to protect our most vulnerable citizens have been indicted, and most are now behind bars.

But their crimes didn't happen in back alleys under the cloak of darkness or in secret back rooms.

Contact 13 continues to investigate the broken guardianship system to see who else should be accountable.

Guardianship cases are handled in Clark County's Family Court, but shockingly, the courtroom is exactly where the accused committed most of their alleged crimes.

Thursday afternoon, Susan Rousselle was indicted on 44 counts of theft and exploitation for stealing more than $50,000 from the special needs trust account of Jason Hanson.

On Wednesday,  private, for-profit guardian April Parks was indicted as the alleged ring leader of a group authorities are calling a criminal syndicate.

The four, arrested Wednesday in law enforcement actions across the country, are facing nearly 300 felony counts.

C-17-321808 by Kean Bauman on Scribd

They're charged with isolating elderly and disabled people from their families and systematically draining their life savings in the last months of their lives.

"I'm saddened to say that most of the victims that are part of this criminal indictment have since passed away," said District Attorney Steve Wolfson in a press conference following the indictments.

April Lynn Parks, husband Gary Taylor, business partner Mark Simmons and attorney Noel Palmer Simpson stole over half a million dollars, according to a criminal indictment.  It was handed down Wednesday--two years after Contact 13 first broke the story about April Parks and her business bilking those the court assigned her to protect.

"When I get to that age and somebody tries to put me in a guardianship, I'm probably going to come out kicking and screaming too," Parks said in an interview with Contact 13 in early 2015.

She was talking about Rudy and Rennie North, who are among more than 150 victims named in the indictment as having lost money and possessions to Parks.

"We do marshal the assets," Parks explained. "Yes. We absolutely do that. And we are instructed to do that. And that's for safe keeping."

But the Grand Jury indictment says she failed to keep much of anything safe.  She's accused of filing hundreds of false documents with the court and committing perjury.  Which begs the question, where was the oversight?  Every one of Parks' alleged victims were wards of the court, conscripted into guardianship by people like Commissioner Jon Norheim--who's been removed from all adult guardianship cases, and Family Court presiding judge Charles Hoskin.

"There are other agencies and other departments within Clark County that are somewhat responsible for what I call a failure," said District Attorney Wolfson.

Part of that failure even included fraudulent medical records, which the court allowed Parks to use to prove people needed a guardian.

Contact 13 wanted to know why all those phony and altered documents were accepted and whether any judges, commissioners or doctors would be held accountable.

"Some of the operational things down in Family Court--some of the checks and balances that perhaps weren't followed," said Wolfson.  "But at the end of the day, I believe changes have been put in place and I'm hopeful that these won't happen again."

We asked Clark County District Court for a response to the District Attorney's comments and questions about how all this fraudulent activity was approved.  The Court provided the following statement:

It is the goal of the court, that improvements made over the past two years to the guardianship system including: hiring an investigator and compliance officer, technological upgrades, and case re-assignment to judges, will stop the potential for those intent on defrauding the most vulnerable in our community.

Protecting our most vulnerable requires not only court commitment, but a commitment of resources by funding authorities in the executive branch, and continued leadership from the legislature. We all need to focus on improving guardianship and must continue until all possible improvements are implemented.

When issues with the guardianship system were brought to the attention of the court, the court took immediate action to address issues and called for a commission to determine what needed to be done to get guardianship in line with national best practices. The court has made changes over the past two years to address issues with the guardianship system including: automating daily compliance reports; moving the caseload from a hearing master to judges, working to implement new specialized software.  A Guardianship Hotline was established and is still up and running to take concerns and questions at 702-671-4614 and an email...is also available at guardianshipcompliance@clarkcountycourts.us for those who have concerns. 

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CONTACT 13: Guardianship crimes occurred in courtroom