June 10, 2013
Las Vegas, NV – Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced that Ernesto Guerra-Perez, 45, of Las Vegas, was sentenced today in a Medicaid fraud case involving failure to maintain adequate records to support Medicaid claims.
“Protection of these types of services is important to ensure people of
the community who need this assistance are receiving the care they require,”
said Masto. “Prosecution and conviction of these crimes helps deter fraud
and the restitution helps to return much needed funds into the Medicaid
system.”
Guerra-Perez
was sentenced for one gross misdemeanor offense of intentional failure to
maintain adequate records, by District Court Judge David Barker. Barker
sentenced Guerra-Perez to 150 days, suspended, performance of 80 hours of
community service and payment of $5,711 in restitution, penalties, and
costs.
The Nevada Attorney
General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) investigation revealed that Guerra-Perez was not
providing personal care services to a Medicaid recipient from
December 2010 and December 2011.
Guerra-Perez was employed by a home care company to provide care to a Medicaid
recipient. During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that
Guerra-Perez had outside employment that conflicted with the care he allegedly
was providing to the Medicaid recipient. Nonetheless, Guerra-Perez
claimed he performed the services and received payment as if he had actually
performed the services.
Medicaid has
a personal care assistant program to keep people living independently in their
own homes by providing basic services, including bathing, dressing, cleaning
and meal preparation. Persons convicted of Medicaid fraud may also be
administratively excluded from future Medicaid and Medicare
participation.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by the MFCU, which investigates
and prosecutes financial fraud by those providing healthcare services or goods
to Medicaid patients. The MFCU also investigates and prosecutes instances
of elder abuse or neglect.
Anyone wishing to report suspicions regarding any of these concerns may
contact the MFCU at 775-684-1191 or 702-486-3187.
The case was
prosecuted by Andrew Schulke, Senior Deputy Attorney General.
Read the criminal information by clicking
here.
ERNESTO GUERRA-PEREZ
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(Photos courtesy of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
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