Upstate medical billing company owner pleads guilty to healthcare fraud

by Olivia Jaquith

ALBANY, N.Y. (WRGB) — A Plattsburgh man pled guilty Tuesday to healthcare fraud, federal prosecutors said.

According to a release, Scott Newcombe, 40, as part of his plea, admitted that from approximately April 2020 through April 2023, he acted as the office manager and healthcare claims biller for two physicians’ practices in Plattsburgh through a company that he formed, called SJ Healthcare Management Services, LLC. The company reportedly charged a fixed monthly fee, under which prosecutors said Newcombe performed various management, administrative and billing services for the practices.

Prosecutors with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of New York (NDNY) said Newcombe further admitted that he submitted false and fraudulent claims to public and private insurers on behalf of the aforementioned practices for services that, in some instances, were never provided and, in other instances, were provided at lower reimbursement rates than the amounts billed.

Newcombe is scheduled for sentencing on Feb. 28, 2025, according to a release. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a term of post-imprisonment supervised release of up to three years.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) investigated this case.

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Upstate medical billing company owner pleads guilty to healthcare fraud

New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty in Mass-Mailing Elder Fraud Scheme

Department of Justice
Office of Public Affairs

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Friday, March 17, 2023

New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty in Mass-Mailing Elder Fraud Scheme

A New Jersey man pleaded guilty yesterday in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of New York to conspiracy to commit mail fraud, for operating a mass-mailing scheme that victimized older Americans.

According to court documents, Ryan Young, 40, of Upper Saddle River, New Jersey, operated a mail fraud scheme in which he mailed out letters falsely notifying recipients that they were entitled to receive unclaimed funds worth millions of dollars, a portion of a multi-million-dollar legal settlement, or a prize, in exchange for payment of a small fee of $30 to $40. The solicitation letters stated that they were sent by an organization tasked with providing notice and facilitating delivery of the funds or prize. Young did not deliver funds to any of the victims who sent payments in response to these letters. Instead, Young sent a booklet providing publicly available information regarding government Unclaimed Property Divisions in various states; a booklet providing publicly available information regarding a few class action settlements; or a flyer regarding online restaurant coupons. According to court documents, Young fraudulently obtained more than $1.6 million from victims of the scheme between March 2019 and May 2022.

The court documents further allege that Young operated this scheme while he was on pretrial release awaiting sentencing in a separate criminal case, in which he was charged with operating a similar fraud scheme. On Feb. 13, 2018, Young pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud, for his role in a large-scale international mail fraud scheme that took $50 million from victims between 2011 and 2016. As part of that scheme, Young sent fraudulent prize notification letters to victims in the United States and numerous other countries. The letters falsely claimed recipients had won money or valuable prizes, such as luxury cars. Victims were instructed to send small processing fees – typically $20 or $25 – to claim the prizes. Many victims received nothing; others received only a cheap piece of jewelry or a report listing unrelated sweepstakes.

“The defendant in this case operated multiple fraud schemes, collectively depriving vulnerable Americans out of more than $50 million,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “The Justice Department and its federal law enforcement partners are committed to investigating and prosecuting those who target vulnerable American consumers for financial gain.” 

“Mass marketing scams frequently target elderly or vulnerable citizens. Fraudsters may think they can anonymously siphon money from their victims but today’s guilty plea tells a different story,” said Inspector in Charge Chris Nielsen of United States Postal Inspection Service (USPIS)’s Philadelphia Division. “Through the efforts of Postal Inspectors in Newark, New Jersey, and Washington, D.C.; DOJ prosecutors; and the Fort Lee, New Jersey Police Department, we have successfully unraveled a complex mail fraud operation.”

Young will be sentenced on July 19 before U.S. District Judge Joan M. Azrack in Central Islip, New York. He faces a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.

The USPIS investigated the case. Senior Trial Attorney Ann Entwistle and Assistant Director John W. Burke of the Consumer Protection Branch are prosecuting the case and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanisha Payne for the Eastern District of New York is handling asset forfeiture. 

Additional information about the Consumer Protection Branch and its fraud enforcement efforts may be found at www.justice.gov/civil/consumer-protection-branch.

Source:
New Jersey Man Pleads Guilty in Mass-Mailing Elder Fraud Scheme

Las Vegas man pleads guilty to elder abuse in group home scheme

Calvin Leslie (Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)

By Katelyn Newberg 

A 58-year-old man pleaded guilty to elder abuse on Tuesday for operating an unlicensed group home where about eight tenants lived without heating.

Calvin Leslie agreed to a sentence of 10 to 25 years in prison after pleading guilty to abuse of an older or vulnerable person, neglect of an older or vulnerable person, exploitation of an older or vulnerable person, and obtaining and using another’s personal identifying information. A judge will have to approve of the sentencing agreement during a hearing scheduled for October.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Colleen Baharav said that “justice was served” through the plea deal.

“I think it’s a fair deal for everybody,” she said.

Travis Shetler, Leslie’s defense attorney, did not respond to request for comment on Wednesday.

Leslie was arrested in December 2019 in connection with the unlicensed group home on Santa Rita Drive, near Las Vegas Boulevard and St. Louis Avenue, court records show. About a month prior, Leslie was arrested in connection with another group home, at 3105 Parkdale Ave., which authorities alleged was run by Leslie and a married couple, Mary Glenn and Devon Floyd.

The home on Parkdale Avenue lacked air conditioning, had overcrowded rooms and contained a restroom without a working toilet. Mentally or physically ill tenants were left to care for themselves, according to an arrest report.

Officers found a man sleeping in his feces, another tenant had his diaper changed once a day, and multiple residents had gone without food and medication, prosecutors said during a court hearing last year.

As part of Tuesday’s plea deal, prosecutors agreed to drop the charges against Leslie in the Parkdale home case.

Glenn and Floyd both pleaded guilty and were sentenced in August for abuse and neglect of older and vulnerable people. Glenn was sentenced to four to 10 years in prison, and Floyd was sentenced to two to five years but was eligible for parole because of time served.

Prosecutors have said that after Leslie was released on bail in connection with that case, he continued to operate the group home on Santa Rita Drive, renting rooms to tenants and putting bills in their names without their knowledge.

Power at the home was shut off in early December 2019, when overnight temperatures dropped to 43 degrees, which is considered unsafe according to city code. The residents of the home “appeared to suffer from mental and physical disabilities,” according to an arrest report.

One victim said Leslie took rent money from vulnerable tenants and then evicted them without cause, a process he described as “flipping them,” the report said.

Leslie was initially charged with 10 counts including exploitation, abuse, neglect and obtaining and using another’s personal identity information. In February 2020, a grand jury indicted him on 14 additional counts, court records show.

He was accused of putting bills in the name of a man with dementia and taking nearly $3,000 of Social Security benefits from a 60-year-old woman, according to the indictment.

 

Leslie has been arrested on similar charges in Georgia, Ohio and Michigan, prosecutors have said.

 

Full Article & Source:

Las Vegas man pleads guilty to elder abuse in group home scheme

Former Phoenix nurse pleads guilty in sex assault of incapacitated woman at Hacienda HealthCare

by Perry Vandell 

A former Arizona nurse has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting an incapacitated woman about three years ago at Hacienda HealthCare, a long-term care facility in Phoenix where she later gave birth.

Nathan Sutherland also entered a guilty plea Thursday to a charge of abuse of a vulnerable adult stemming from his treatment of the woman.

Jennifer Liewer, a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, announced Thursday that the sentencing range for the sexual assault charge is between 5.25 to 10 years in prison. The abuse of a vulnerable adult charge brings a lifetime of probation.

Liewer told The Arizona Republic that MCAO couldn't yet comment on the guilty plea as the case remains open until Sutherland is sentenced. 

Sentencing is scheduled for Nov. 4.

The pregnancy was discovered in December 2018 when an employee at the Hacienda HealthCare facility in Phoenix was changing the garments of the then-29-year-old victim and noticed the patient was in the process of delivering a child. Employees told police that they had no idea the woman was pregnant.

Police have said Sutherland’s DNA matched a sample taken from the woman’s son. The victim’s mother is the boy’s guardian.

The surprise birth triggered reviews by state agencies, highlighted safety concerns for patients who are severely disabled or incapacitated and prompted the resignations of Hacienda’s chief executive and one of the victim’s doctors.

It led to a lawsuit from the victim’s parents that alleged Sutherland had cared for their daughter on hundreds of occasions from 2012 through 2018, despite promises from the state — which contracts with companies like Hacienda to provide services to people with developmental disabilities — that only women would tend to her. An expert on behalf of her family has said many of Sutherland’s encounters with the patient occurred overnight when fewer staff members and visitors were around.

Lawyers for the family also said Hacienda missed dozens of signs that the woman was carrying a baby, pointing out that she had gained weight, had a swollen belly and missed menstrual periods in the months before the child was born. They said the victim, who has a feeding tube and whose nutrition was reduced in response to her weight gain during the pregnancy, delivered the boy while severely dehydrated and without pain medications.

The victim lived at Hacienda for 26 years, until the child’s birth. Her medical conditions stem from a brain disorder that caused motor and cognitive impairments and vision loss. She was also left with no functional use of her limbs.

Sutherland, a licensed practical nurse, was fired by Hacienda after his arrest and has since given up his nursing license.

A judge has approved a $15 million settlement against a doctor who cared for the woman for 26 years while she lived at Hacienda HealthCare. The doctor’s insurer has argued it has no obligation to pay that amount.

The state of Arizona, which contracts with companies like Hacienda to provide services to people with developmental disabilities, settled last summer for $7.5 million.

Hacienda HealthCare CEO Perry Petrilli issued a written statement on Thursday expressing relief for the guilty plea.

"After more than 2-1/2 years, all of us at Hacienda HealthCare are relieved that Nathan Sutherland has finally pleaded guilty to his awful offenses. We have cooperated in every way possible with law enforcement and investigators — and now we hope the judge will sentence Sutherland appropriately given the severity of his crimes. As ever, our hearts are with the victim and her family. May these final steps in the legal process help them find peace."

Full Article & Source:

Former Phoenix nurse pleads guilty in sex assault of incapacitated woman at Hacienda HealthCare 

 

See Also: 

Nurse accused of raping, impregnating incapacitated woman at Phoenix care facility wants judge to toss DNA evidence

 

Trial of man accused of raping incapacitated woman at Hacienda Healthcare delayed 

 

Arizona, 2 doctors sued over rape of incapacitated woman 

Trial Date Set For Man Accused Of Raping Incapacitated Woman At Hacienda Healthcare

Judge orders former Hacienda nurse accused of raping patient to take HIV test pending appeal

Arizona care unit where incapacitated woman gave birth to stay open

Hacienda HealthCare to cease operation at South Phoenix facility

Arizona governor calls for stronger protections after incapacitated woman’s pregnancy

Ex-nurse accused of impregnating a severely disabled Arizona woman pleads not guilty

Lawyer: No proof nurse raped Arizona patient who had baby

Nurse arrested in rape of woman in vegetative state who gave birth at care facility

Center where comatose woman had baby faced criminal probe

Lawyer: Incapacitated woman who gave birth not in coma

Patient alleges abuse at Hacienda Healthcare, two staff members placed on leave

Facility CEO resigns after woman in vegetative state gives birth; new allegations emerge

Patient in vegetative state gives birth, sex abuse investigation underway: report

 

Family speaks after former Limestone County judge who stole from them for years was convicted

by: Ethan Fitzgerald

LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala – Last week former Limestone County judge, Douglas Patterson was sentenced to 4-years in prison for several ethics-related charges. As part of the conviction, Patterson is being ordered to pay just under $73,000 in restitution to three different parties.

Jessica Hardy is owed $25,000 after her father’s conservatorship account was drained of roughly $47,000 dollars. Hardy says another judge gave control of the conservatorship to Patterson. Court documents show Patterson took money from the account over the course of 6 years.

“I wanted to see everything. I saw all these withdrawals. One day he took a total of $6,000 in one day,” said Jessica Hardy, who contemplated legal action before the Alabama Attorney Generals Office stepped in.

“I was like, Momma, I’m poor. I can’t afford no lawyer. I can’t go against no judge,” said Hardy when her disabled mother urged Jessica to find answers.

For Hardy, the situation only got worse when she made a call to the hospital to see if she could visit her dying father, a former marine.

“The nurse was like, ‘Well, Doug Patterson told me he didn’t have any family.’ I was like, ‘What!?'” said Hardy.

Eventually, Hardy heard from the Attorney General’s office.

“It felt like weight lifted off of me,” said Hardy.

It’s not clear if the Hardy’s will ever see $25,000 from Patterson or his family. One thing is clear, had the money never left the Hardy’s account, things today would be a whole lot easier.

“We are staying in a hotel because of this COVID situation. I had lost my job,” said Hardy.

Last week, when Patterson was hauled away to start serving his prison sentence, he shared a few words with reporters.

“I’m sorry for everything I did, I’m sorry for all the hurt I caused. I stick to that. I’m very sorry,” said Patterson.

Despite all that has happened to the Hardy’s, Jessica says she has forgiven the former judge.

“It’s the only way I can release myself. And feel good about myself because I can’t carry that hate,” said Hardy.

Patterson also wrote upwards of 70 checks to himself. Taking money from the Limestone County Juvenile Court Services Fund for several years.

Full Article & Source:

Family speaks after former Limestone County judge who stole from them for years was convicted

Family convicted Alabama judge stole $25,000 from: ‘I’m poor....I can’t go against no judge’

Doug Patterson, the former Limestone County district judge, was sentenced on Dec. 8, 2020 to four years in prison.

By William Thornton

A Limestone County woman says she has forgiven a convicted judge who still owes $25,000 from her father’s conservatorship account.

“It’s the only way I can release myself,” Jessica Hardy told WHNT.

Doug Patterson, a former Limestone County district judge, was sentenced last week to four years in prison. Patterson, 38, pleaded guilty in October to felony charges of using his position for personal gain, financial exploitation of the elderly and theft.

Hardy’s conservatorship account had roughly $47,000 dollars siphoned off over a six-year period, including $6,000 in one day, the station reported. Patterson already repaid about $22,000 of the money that was stolen from Hardy’s father, the veteran Charles Hardy, who has since died.

 

And that’s not all. Hardy told the station that complications continued when she made a call to the hospital to see if she could visit her dying father, a former marine.

“The nurse was like, ‘Well, Doug Patterson told me he didn’t have any family.’ I was like, ‘What!?’” Hardy said.

Her disabled mother suggested she search for answers. “I was like, Momma, I’m poor. I can’t afford no lawyer. I can’t go against no judge,” Hardy said. Eventually, she heard from the Attorney General’s office.

Patterson stole nearly $73,000 from a juvenile court fund and two of his former legal clients. Prosecutors said he wrote 70 checks to himself from the court fund, which he oversaw as a district judge. He has been ordered to repay the stolen money by Dec. 1, 2029 — about five years after he is to be released from prison.

Full Article & Source:

Family convicted Alabama judge stole $25,000 from: ‘I’m poor....I can’t go against no judge’ 

 

See Also: 

Former Limestone County judge pleads guilty to theft and ethics charges

 

Former Alabama judge sentenced to prison for theft

ATHENS, Ala. (AP) — A former Alabama judge who pleaded guilty to felony ethics and theft charges was sentenced to four years in prison during a hearing Tuesday.

Douglas Patterson, who resigned from his job as district judge in Limestone County in July, also was ordered to pay almost $73,000 in restitution, and sheriff's deputies took him into custody immediately, news outlets reported.

After serving his sentence, Patterson must spend six years on supervised probation and could be sentenced to additional time in prison if he fails to comply with its provisions.

Patterson, 38, pleaded guilty in October after being indicted last year on charges of financial exploitation, theft and using his position for personal gain. He was was accused of taking more than $47,000 from a juvenile court fund as judge and stealing from the conservatorship account of a disabled person while working as a private attorney.

Former Gov. Robert Bentley appointed Patterson to the judgeship in March 2016, and he later ran unopposed and won a six-year term.

 

Full Article & Source: 

Former Alabama judge sentenced to prison for theft

Former Limestone County judge pleads guilty to theft and ethics charges

Douglas Patterson

A former Limestone County judge pleaded guilty on Friday to theft and ethics charges.

Douglas Patterson resigned from his position in July. He pleaded guilty to the intentional use of official position or office for personal gain, financial exploitation of the elderly first degree and theft of property third degree.

Patterson agreed to pay a restitution of more than $70,000. In his plea agreement, he admitted to "violating his oath of office and Alabama law by stealing $47,800 from the Limestone County Juvenile Court Services Fund which was designated to support the children of Limestone County," said Attorney General Steve Marshall in a statement Friday afternoon.

Patterson was initially charged in 2019. Until his resignation in July of this year, he received $5,404.42 twice a month from the State of Alabama while being suspended from working as a judge.

On Oct. 28, Attorney Chuck Warren filed a motion to withdraw as counsel for Patterson.

Patterson pleaded guilty during a hearing Friday morning at the Limestone County Courthouse. His sentencing is set for Dec. 8 at 1:30 p.m.

You can read more from the attorney general's statement on Friday below: 

"Attorney General Steve Marshall announced the conviction Friday of Douglas Lee Patterson, a former district court judge in the 39th Judicial Circuit in Limestone County, on three felony charges: use of official position or office for personal gain, financial exploitation of the elderly in the first degree, and theft of property in the third degree."

"On October 30, Patterson pleaded guilty in the Limestone County Circuit Court to the above three felonies before specially appointed Judge Steven E. Haddock. Judge Haddock set sentencing for December 8 at 1:30 p.m. The ethics charge and the financial exploitation charge are Class B felonies punishable by up to 20 years of imprisonment and a $30,000 fine. The theft charge is punishable by up to five years of imprisonment and a $7,500 fine.

"As part of Patterson’s plea agreement, he admitted to violating his oath of office and Alabama law by stealing $47,800 from the Limestone County Juvenile Court Services Fund which was designated to support the children of Limestone County. As Limestone County’s juvenile court judge, Patterson could and did impose supervision fees in certain juvenile cases, which he later stole and used for his own personal benefit. By the time Patterson’s actions were discovered, he had emptied the juvenile account.

"Patterson also admitted in court that, while serving as a private attorney, he financially exploited Charles Lee Hardy, for whom he served as a court-appointed conservator. Hardy, who died in December 2015, was a disabled military veteran living in a nursing home. Patterson disregarded his obligation to protect Hardy’s finances and instead plundered his account by taking Hardy’s money and spending it on himself. By the time Hardy died, Patterson had emptied his account and left his family nothing to inherit from the account.

"Finally, Patterson admitted that he stole from another conservatorship client, Rudolph Allen, while in private practice. In this case, Patterson stole $601 from Allen three years after he died in July 2015. Patterson spent the money on himself rather than turn it over to Allen’s family."

 

Full Article & Source:

Former Limestone County judge pleads guilty to theft and ethics charges

Winsted woman pleads guilty to stealing $850,000 from physically, mentally disabled people in conservatorships

Sheila Grochowski, 70, of Winsted, faces a charge of first-degree larceny and 19 counts of second-degree forgery for allegedly embezzling $851,000 from elderly and disabled people under the control of probate courts. (Avon Police / HANDOUT)

By David Owens

A 72-year-old Winsted woman who stole more than $850,000 from people with physical and mental disabilities pleaded guilty Thursday and faces up to seven years in prison.

Sheila Grochowski was arrested by Avon police and the chief state’s attorney’s office in November 2017 on more than a dozen larceny and forgery charges and had previously turned down a plea offer. But with her case called in for trial and jury selection scheduled to begin Thursday, she asked if the state’s plea offer was still available and accepted it, pleading guilty to a single count of first-degree larceny and two counts of second-degree forgery.

She is scheduled to be sentenced April 29 to 10 years in prison, suspended after she serves seven years, plus five years of probation. Her lawyer, public defender John Stawicki, will be able to argue for less prison time and probation.

Grochowski was a bookkeeper and secretary for Barbara H. Hance Associates, a Farmington company that handles the financial affairs of people whose affairs are controlled by probate courts.

Prosecutor Christopher A. Alexy told Hartford Superior Court Judge Laura F. Baldini that Grochowski wrote 437 checks to herself from the accounts of Hance clients. The state had video obtained from Grochowski’s bank showing her depositing two of the stolen checks, and bank records from her bank and those of her victims showing the extent of her thievery.

Grochowski pleaded guilty under the Alford doctrine, meaning she disputed some of the state’s evidence, but acknowledged the state had enough evidence to convict her at trial.

According to the warrant for Grochowski’s arrest, Grochowski forged Hance’s signature on 591 checks and two withdrawal slips and stole $851,811 between January 2010 and May 2016, when Hance fired Grochowski.

Authorities do not know where the money went, but when confronted by Hance in early 2015 about the embezzlement of $4,829, Grochowski admitted the forgery and said she needed the money for medical expenses, according to the warrant. After that incident, Hance kept Grochowski as an employee, set up a repayment plan and did not notify police.

In May 2016 more problems with checks were found, and Hance determined that Grochowski’s alleged thefts were more extensive. A forensic audit by an accounting firm, and a review of thousands of pages of Grochowski’s bank records by Avon Det. Edward Espinoza and state Inspector Jack Bannan revealed the massive scale of Grochowski’s thefts.

The investigators identified 25 people they say were victimized by Grochowski, including her own father who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease and was under a conservatorship. Grochowski allegedly wrote herself checks from her father’s accounts and listed herself as executor of his estate, although he was still alive at the time.

The investigators also found that it wasn’t the first time Grochowski has stolen. In 1988 Grochowski was charged by Torrington police with first-degree larceny, second-degree larceny and third-degree forgery. She was convicted in November 1989 and sentenced to five years in prison.

Full Article & Source:
Winsted woman pleads guilty to stealing $850,000 from physically, mentally disabled people in conservatorships

See Also:
Woman Accused Of Stealing $851,000 From Elderly, Disabled

Port Ludlow financial guardian pleads guilty to defrauding clients

A Port Ludlow man who is accused of stealing as much as $280,000 from clients he served as a financial guardian pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Seattle on Friday to Social Security fraud.

Wayne Jerome Houston, 61, owned Cross Point Services LLC, a guardianship organization for disabled and vulnerable adults, according to a press release from the office of U.S. Attorney Brian Moran. 

As part of his business managing the financial affairs of 15-20 clients a month, Houston  had access to the clients’ bank accounts so he could pay rent, utilities and other bills for them. Beginning in 2010, Houston began writing checks from his client's accounts to himself, to Cross Point Services, or to cash, and he used ATMs to withdraw money from client accounts for his own expenses, according to Moran's office.

He continued withdrawing money through 2018. The amount stolen is still under investigation, the office said, but it is estimated between $150,000 and $280,941.   

“This defendant stole from those he was supposed to protect at least 240 separate times,” Moran said in the press release. “He betrayed the clients who needed his help, as well as the Kitsap County Superior Court judges who appointed him, believing he could be trusted to make sure disabled and vulnerable adults were protected.”

Houston targeted clients who had significant income so that the theft was less likely to be detected, the press release said. 

Social Security benefits were paid into the accounts of at least 13 clients who required a representative payee to manage their benefits. Approximately $83,000 of what Houston is accused of stealing was Social Security Administration benefit funds, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.  

The charges are punishable by up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, but under the terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend no more than 40 months in prison. The judge, Ronald Leighton, is not limited by the recommendation, however, and Houston's sentence will be determined by the court based on the advisory Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors, according to the press release.

The case was investigated by the Social Security Administration Office of Inspector General and the Kitsap County Sheriff’s Office.  

Houston is scheduled to be sentenced on April 17. 

Full Article & Source:
Port Ludlow financial guardian pleads guilty to defrauding clients

Crane, Mo. man pleads guilty to sexual abuse against nursing home residents

By Kadee Brosseau

CRANE, Mo. -- A Stone County man has been sentenced to seven years in prison after pleading guilty to first degree sexual abuse.

Paul Christianson, 44, of Crane was originally accused of raping two mentally handicapped women at Ozark Mountain Regional Healthcare in Crane.

According to online court records, Christianson accepted a plea deal on December 2, 2019. In addition to being sentenced to seven years in the Missouri Department of Corrections for the sexual abuse conviction, Christianson will also undergo the 120 day Sex Offender Assessment Unit (SOAU) program. Under state law, if Christianson successfully completes the program, he could be released on probation after serving 120 days.

On December 2, Christianson also plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge of sexual conduct with a nursing facility resident or vulnerable person. He was sentenced to 90 days in jail for that charge, which he has already served.

According to court documents obtained through the Stone County Prosecutor's Office at the time of the June 2018 crime, investigators went to Christianson's home and arrested him after they interviewed a victim of the crime. Detectives say Christianson admitted to having sexual intercourse a minimum of five times with two different females in the residential home. Christianson also admitted to committing other sexual acts with the women. According to investigators, the women have diminished mental capacity and lacked the ability to consent. Documents also show that the crimes happened between June 1, 2018 and August 15, 2018.

Full Article & Source:
Crane, Mo. man pleads guilty to sexual abuse against nursing home residents

Albuquerque man pleads guilty for role in stealing from disabled clients

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – An Albuquerque man admitted to his role in a scheme stealing money from people with disabilities.

William Harris pleaded guilty to federal fraud and money laundering charges for siphoning money from the clients of Ayudando Guardians, where his wife was the CEO. The nonprofit offered financial help to people with special needs.

Harris admitted to depositing VA checks meant for clients for his own benefit, as well as using the corporate credit card for personal expenses. In exchange for his plea, he’ll be sentenced to seven years in federal prison. He’ll also have to pay restitution.

Three others accused in the scheme, including Harris’ wife Susan, are set for trial in September.

Full Article & Source:
Albuquerque man pleads guilty for role in stealing from disabled clients

Former assisted living employee pleads guilty to kicking patient in the face

Tesa Keith, a former employee at a Texas assisted living facility, has allegedly admitted to kicking a female patient in the face.

A former employee at a Texas assisted living facility has admitted to kicking a female patient in the face “for the purpose of punishing her,” authorities said Thursday.

Tesa Keith, 37, was working as a direct service provider at the San Angelo State Supported Living Center in Carlsbad, a small community in Tom Green County, when the assault took place on June 13, 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

The state-run facility houses people with intellectual and developmental disabilities “who are medically fragile or who have behavioral problems,” the center’s website states.

U.S. Attorney Erin Nealy Cox, of the Northern District of Texas, said in a statement that the victim was targeted with no justification.

“Instead of the care and compassion she deserved, this victim suffered abuse and humiliation," she wrote. “One of the DOJ’s most sacred duties is seeking justice for our district’s most vulnerable. We will not tolerate this sort of terrible behavior.”

Keith pleaded guilty Wednesday to a civil rights violation charge and she will face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 when she’s sentenced.

Full Article & Source:
Former assisted living employee pleads guilty to kicking patient in the face

Woman pleads guilty to financial exploitation

Dolores Tritle

An Owatonna woman charged with stealing several thousand dollars over eight months from a woman she knew pleaded guilty Wednesday in Freeborn County District Court to one count of gross misdemeanor financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Dolores Tritle, 53, pleaded guilty to taking $7,330 from the woman, who reportedly lived at a local nursing home at the time and needed 24-hour care. Tritle was her power of attorney.

Freeborn County Attorney David Walker said Tritle had paid back about $5,012 prior to making the plea, and when she pleaded guilty she paid back an additional $2,000.

Court documents state Tritle was charged after a detective received a referral for investigation on a case involving potential financial exploitation of a vulnerable adult in June 2017.

Court documents state 16 withdrawals from the alleged victim’s account corresponded with deposits into Tritle’s account.

Tritle is slated to be sentenced July 5. She will be required to pay back the remaining $318 in restitution as part of her sentence, Walker said.

Full Article & Source:
Woman pleads guilty to financial exploitation

Stuarts Draft woman pleads guilty to financial exploitation of a mentally incapacitated adult

Terry L. Lohr

STAUNTON - A Stuarts Draft woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing thousands of dollars from her incapacitated father.

How much was stolen? Authorities are still trying to nail down a monetary figure.

In June, the Augusta County Sheriff's Office arrested Terry L. Lohr, 56, on a charge of financial exploitation of a mentally incapacitated adult amid allegations she fleeced her 82-year-old father out of nearly $20,000.

According to Augusta County Deputy Commonwealth's Attorney Alexandra Meador, Lohr had been granted power of attorney for her father, giving her access to his funds. In 2017, her father sold his home and Lohr took some of the proceeds from the sale, Meador said.

Lohr bought herself a recreational vehicle, new tires and a shed. Meador said the money from the house sale was supposed to go to Lohr's father for his personal needs.

"It wasn't spent down properly," she said of the proceeds. "Some of it was spent down on her."

Because of Lohr's actions, her father lost his Medicaid support for several months, Meador said.

Lohr initially claimed she took the money because it was owed to her from past loans, according to Meador.

Asked how much money was stolen, Meador said there are a number of "complicated factors" that are still being sorted out but noted the amount was over $10,000. Once a final figure is determined, Lohr must pay restitution to the Department of Medical Assistance Services, Meador said.

In Augusta County Circuit Court on Wednesday, Lohr pleaded guilty to the single felony charge of financial exploitation of a mentally incapacitated adult. She was sentenced to two years in prison but both years were suspended, giving her no time to serve. She was also placed on probation for two years.

Lohr's guilty plea nixed a scheduled jury trial for Friday. 

Full Article & Source:
Stuarts Draft woman pleads guilty to financial exploitation of a mentally incapacitated adult

Augusta man pleads to elderly exploitation

An Augusta man accused of mismanaging a family member’s finances pleaded guilty Thursday to exploitation of the elderly.

Christopher Deaton, 56, entered his plea in Richmond County Superior Court. Judge Michael N. Annis accepted the negotiation plea of 20 years probation under the First Offender Act. Deaton agreed to pay $2,400 in restitution.

Deaton took control of a relative’s finances after her husband died in 2016. Without her consent or knowledge, Deaton transferred $46,000 into a second bank account, and he put $25,000 in a certificate of deposit under his wife’s name without her knowledge, said Assistant District Attorney Ashley Muller.

All of the money was returned to the victim, Muller said. The restitution was the cost of having to pay two vehicle insurance policies, she said.

Deaton apologized to the victim and the rest of his family Thursday.

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Augusta man pleads to elderly exploitation

Corsica Man Pleads Guilty to Financial Exploitation

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) — The South Dakota attorney general says a Corsica man is facing up to 10 years in prison for exploiting money from an elderly family member.

Attorney General Marty Jackley said Friday 48-year-old David Anthony Stetson has pleaded guilty to felony theft by exploitation. Authorities say Stetson must pay restitution of more than $27,000.

The felony is also punishable by a fine of up to $20,000.

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Corsica Man Pleads Guilty to Financial Exploitation

Woman pleads guilty to neglecting mother, stealing $71,000

A Charleston woman on Tuesday admitted in circuit court to neglecting her mother suffering from dementia.

Amanda Reavis, 37, pleaded guilty to felony neglecting an incapacitated adult causing serious bodily injury and felony financially exploiting an incapacitated adult before Kanawha Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey.

Reavis admitted she was power of attorney for her mother Tammy Reavis, who retired from her job as a delivery room nurse after she was diagnosed with early onset dementia.

Tammy Reavis wasn’t able to feed herself, move or care for her daily physical needs, leaving her totally dependent on her daughter, Kanawha Prosecuting Attorney Chuck Miller said in a news release.

Amanda Reavis would abandon her mother for days at a time, and she spent $71,000 from her mother’s retirement savings and monthly income for her own personal purpose.

Amanda Reavis faces a total of between five and 35 years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines when she is sentenced on Sept. 19.

Per the terms of a plea deal, Kanawha Assistant Prosecuting Attorney Rob Schulenberg has recommended a sentence of between 15 and 35 years of home confinement and a $5,000 fine.

Reavis is incarcerated at South Central Regional Jail.

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Woman pleads guilty to neglecting mother, stealing $71,000

Woman pleads guilty to neglecting, exploiting her mother

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WCHS/WVAH) — Kanawha County prosecutors said a woman pleaded guilty in a case in which she was accused of abandoning her mother for days at a time and spending more than $70,000 of her mother’s retirement savings and monthly income without authorization.

Amanda R. Reavis pleaded guilty Tuesday to the felony offenses of neglecting an incapacitated adult causing serious bodily injury and to financially exploiting an incapacitated adult, according to a news release from the Kanawha County Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutors said Reavis’ mother, Tammy G. Reavis, was a delivery room nurse until she was forced to retire as a result of early onset dementia. As a result of her illness, she was unable to feed herself, unable to move and unable to care for her daily physical needs and was totally dependent on her daughter.

The news release said Amanda Reavis would abandon her mother for days at a time. She had power of attorney and would access her mother’s bank accounts and retirement savings and spend the money for her own purposes, prosecutors said.

Amanda Reavis spent $71,000 of her mother’s retirement savings and monthly income without authorization, prosecutors said.

Prosecutors have recommended she receive 15 to 35 years home confinement and a $5,000 fine when she is sentenced Sept. 19 by Kanawha Circuit Judge Jennifer Bailey.

The neglect offense carries a three to 15 years prison term and the financial exploitation offense carries a sentence of two to 20 years. She also could face up to $15,000 in fines.

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Woman pleads guilty to neglecting, exploiting her mother

New Mexico man pleads guilty in guardianship fraud case

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — A New Mexico man accused of embezzling more than $4.8 million from trust accounts he managed for elderly and disabled clients has pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges.

Authorities said Paul Donisthorpe entered his plea Monday, acknowledging that he looted his clients' accounts for personal gain.

As part of an agreement with federal prosecutors, the 62-year-old Bloomfield resident faces eight to 12 years in prison and will have to pay restitution and forfeit property in New Mexico and Texas. Sentencing has yet to be scheduled.

"This was a heartbreaking case of an individual stealing millions of dollars from elderly, disabled and other New Mexicans with special needs who depended on him to make sure their rent, medical bills and living expenses were paid," said FBI Special Agent in Charge Terry Wade.

The FBI, federal tax agents and state regulators teamed up to investigate the case.

Donisthorpe, a former Albuquerque resident and owner of Desert State Life Management, was accused of using the money he transferred from his clients' accounts to support a lavish lifestyle and concealed the theft by having his employees report incorrect balances.

In his plea agreement, Donisthorpe acknowledged that he provided trustee services and representative payee services to more than 75 clients. Court documents show the fraudulent transfers were done from at least 2009 through 2016.

In one case, he used the proceeds from the scheme to pay the mortgage for property related to his cattle business. He also spent money on business ventures, vehicles, credit card bills and a vacation home in northern New Mexico.

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New Mexico man pleads guilty in guardianship fraud case