July 25, 2018
Las Vegas, NV – Nevada Attorney General Adam Paul Laxalt announced today that Cesar Caruncho, 51, was sentenced for Neglect of an Older Person, a gross misdemeanor offense.
District Court Ronald Israel sentenced Caruncho to 179 days incarceration (suspended), pay $2,000 in enforcement costs, perform 100 hours of community service, and placed him on probation for 3 years. The crime occurred during January 2016.
“This office has an obligation to protect our elderly citizens whenever possible and to ensure they are receiving proper care and attention,” said Laxalt. “Prosecuting these cases promotes safe living environments in medical facilities for our elderly.”
The investigation began after the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) received information from the Bureau of Healthcare Quality and Compliance (BHCQC) of possible neglect happening at Las Vegas Alzheimer and Memory Care (LVAMC). The investigation revealed that Caruncho, who was a caregiver at LVAMC, did fail to provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) or call for emergency medical services in a timely manner when an elderly resident of LVAMC started experiencing health problems. By doing so, Caruncho placed the resident in a situation where he could be harmed.
The MFCU 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. Persons convicted of Medicaid fraud may also be administratively excluded from future Medicaid and Medicare participation. Anyone wishing to report suspicions regarding any of these concerns may contact the MFCU at 702-486-3420 or 775-684-1100.
The case was prosecuted by Andrew Schulke, Senior Deputy Attorney General.
To view the criminal information about Cesar Caruncho, click here. To file a complaint about someone suspected of committing fraud, click here.
CARUNCHO, CESAR
(Photo courtesy of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
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