Illinois Nursing Home "Operation Guardian" - Two Residents Arrested

State and local officials came together for operation guardian at Rockford’s Alden Park Strathmoor Nursing Home.“About seven months ago we started doing unannounced checks of across the state of Illinois to determine whether or not nursing homes were identifying offenders and whether or not those offenders living there had a safety plan in place,” says Attorney General Lisa Madigan. The check in Rockford revealed four people living at Alden Park with out-standing criminal warrants.

It has those with loved ones at Alden Park concerned.“My sister-in-law is a paraplegic and she doesn’t speak so for her to tell us that’s impossible if something had happened,” says Linda Perry.Although this is the first compliance check in the Stateline, it won’t be the last. Madigan says illegal activities are happening in nursing homes all across the state.

Full Article, Video, and Source:
Two Nursing Home Residents Behind Bars After Attorney General's "Operation Guardian" in Rockford

Sentenced to 43 Months to 16 Years

A Fallon man who pleaded guilty to exploitation of an elderly person over 60 was sentenced Tuesday in District Court.

Crash Corrigan Streavel received 43 months to 16 years in prison for stealing about $250,000 from Myrl and Maie Nygren.

According to Deputy District Attorney Ben Shawcroft, Streavel was a caregiver for the Nygrens and then took control of their finances. Streavel paid himself, added his name to a credit card account and wrote checks to himself in the their names and took out cash advances.

As part of the sentence, Judge David Huff ordered Streavel to sign over the deed to the Idaho property, the title to the SUV and any remaining money in his bank account to Maie, 82. Myrl died of natural causes in the spring.

“This is a terrible crime to take advantage of elderly people,” Huff said. “I take this very seriously.”

Full Article and Source:
Exploitation of Elderly Ladies Costs Fallon Man

Sentenced to Two Years Probation and $1,000 Fine

A Cary man was sentenced to two years probation and fined $1,000 Thursday after pleading guilty to stealing thousands of dollars from a disabled woman with whom he was living.

Peter T. Jachim, 42, admitted guilt to financial exploitation of a disabled person and an unrelated felony theft charge as part of a plea deal struck with McHenry County prosecutors allowing him to avoid a possible prison sentence.

The plea agreement does include a 180-day sentence in the McHenry County jail, but he has served that time while awaiting trial.

Jachim initially was charged with financial exploitation of an elderly person and financial exploitation of a disabled person in May 2009 after, authorities said, a Cary police investigation revealed he stole about $5,000 from two mentally disabled women with whom he shared an apartment.

Full Article and Source:
Cary Man Get Probation for Stealing From Disabled Roomate

Smoron Caretaker Sues Developer Over Eviction

The same caretaker waging a legal fight to be recognized as the heir to Josephine Smoron 's estate is also suing Bristol developer John Senese, claiming Senese evicted him without a court order and confiscated his tools and equipment.
Samuel Manzo filed suit against Senese, doing business as Calco Construction Co., in New Britain Superior Court last fall. He claims he was a tenant on a Smoron -owned parcel that Senese purchased in March 2008 and where Calco is building a BJ's Wholesale Club.

According to Smoron 's will, she gave Manzo use of the property beginning in 1985 to operate his mulch and firewood business, the Southington Firewood Co. The parcel was part of a larger portion that Senese had an option to purchase in a 2001 agreement with an earlier estate conservator.

The lawsuit states that after the March 2008 sale Senese ordered Manzo off the property. When Manzo returned with police to retrieve his tools and equipment, he was locked out.

"He was a tenant there and they knew it," said Manzo's attorney Barry Pontolillo. "Even if you're not paying rent you have the right to a court hearing. They just changed the locks. They are taking the law into their own hands."

Full Article and Source:
Smoron Caretaker Sues Developer Over Eviction

See Also:
CT Judicial Council Finds Probable Cause

Disbarred Lawyer Now Facing Felony Charges

A Pender County lawyer who was disbarred in late 2008 amid allegations of misappropriating client funds now faces felony charges, officials say.

Agents with the N.C. State Bureau of Investigation arrested Kevin Joseph Strickland, 39, and charged him with financial crimes as well as an allegation he set fire to his own law office.

Strickland, who civil court records show practiced real estate law and negotiated multi-million dollar deals, was booked into the Pender County jail under a $500,000 bond, according to a statement from the SBI.

On Friday, jail officials said Strickland was released Thursday on a $200,000 bond.

Full Article and Source:
Disbarred Attorney Indicted on Financial Charges

Judge Orders Investigators Visit David Leyton's In-Laws

The county's chief probate judge has issued an order that investigators revisit the home of the in-laws of county Prosecutor David Leyton after an elder abuse program official claimed she wasn't allowed to visit recently.

Judge Jennie E. Barkey issued the order Tuesday after Diane Nims, executive director of the county's Elder Abuse and Exploitation Prevention program, said in a letter to the court that Leyton's 82-year-old mother-in-law rejected a scheduled visit.

Barkey ordered that the elder abuse program conduct a home visit and geriatric assessment of the couple during a visit today instead.

Leyton's in-laws are at the center of legal fight in which his wife and two other siblings are opposing petitions for guardianship and conservatorship requested by another sibling.

Full Article and Source:
Genesee County Judge Orders Follow-up Visit to Home of In-Laws of Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton

See Also:
MI AG Candidate Wife's Family Embroiled in Dispute Over Parent's Care

Court-Ordered Visit Accomplished

County Sheriff Robert Pickell said an official with his Elder Abuse and Exploitation Prevention Program was able to revisit the in-laws of county Prosecutor David Leyton today after not having been allowed to visit previously.

Chief Probate Judge Jennie E. Barkey issued an order for the visit on Tuesday after Diane Nims, executive director of the elder abuse program, said in a letter to the court that Leyton's 82-year-old mother-in-law had rejected an earlier visit.

Pickell said he did not have any additional information about today's visit.

Barkey’s order instructed the elder abuse program to conduct a geriatric assessment of the couple's current condition in their home. They are at the center of legal fight in which three siblings, including Leyton's wife, Therese, oppose petitions for guardianship and conservatorship requested by another sibling.

Source:
Genesee County Sheriff Robert Pickell Says Elder Abuse Official Was Able to Visit Home of Prosecutor David Leyton's In-laws

Six Arrested for Harmful Nursing Home Prank

Six former Northern California nursing home employees are under arrest on charges they covered several elderly patients with cream to make them slippery as part of a prank against their co-workers.

California Attorney General Jerry Brown announced the arrests on Tuesday, calling the alleged abuse "despicable behavior."

All of the patients at Valley View Skilled Nursing Facility in Ukiah suffered from dementia, Brown said, and were unable to object to their treatment.

The six employees have been fired.

Full Article and Source:
6Arrested for Greasing Elderly at CA Nursing Home

California Ombudsmen Call for Independent State Leader

A group of local ombudsmen and other advocates for the elderly are calling for a fully independent statewide office for California's aging population, saying the current political appointee in charge has failed to protect their interests.

Anticipating the call to overhaul his office, state Long-Term Care Ombudsman Joseph Rodrigues said he has been assured by the Schwarzenegger administration that he can speak out more freely on behalf of seniors.

As the current elder-care ombudsman for the state, Rodrigues is a political appointee who operates within the state’s Health and Human Services Agency and oversees a network of local (and increasingly activist) elder-care ombudsman offices.

In California, people who work with the elderly or disabled are mandated to tell local ombudsmen or police about neglect or abuse they observe in nursing homes and other residential care. Ombudsman offices statewide received 43,500 complaints last year, investigating many and standing up for the elders involved.

The Committee for an Independent State Office includes representatives from elder advocacy groups, including the California AARP, and local elder-care ombudsman program managers.

Linda Robinson, who coordinates the ombudsman program in Santa Cruz County, spoke during an Assembly committee on aging hearing Tuesday, saying the state office has muzzled local elder advocates from speaking to the media and failed to speak up about legislation that would benefit seniors.

Full Article and Source:
Local Elder-Care Ombudsmen Revolt, Call for Independent Leader