September 4, 2013
Las Vegas, NV – Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced today that a former manager of a group home facility in Las Vegas, who neglected one of the residents of that facility, has been sentenced to nine months in jail, suspended, ordered to complete 16 hours of community service each month during a two year probationary time period, and ordered to pay $6,000 in restitution, penalties, and costs.
“Cases like this one demonstrate the obligation to keep vulnerable citizens safe from people who are contracted to provide goods and services to our seniors,” said Masto. “We appreciate the efforts of the Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance in getting this case started.”
Mary Jennifer Agsalud, 49, of Las Vegas, was sentenced for one gross misdemeanor offense of neglect of a vulnerable person by Clark County District Court Judge Elizabeth Gonzalez. Gonzalez also sentenced Agsalud to two years of probation in this neglect case.
The investigation by the Nevada Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), began after information was obtained from the Bureau of Health Care Quality and Compliance that Agsalud, the manager of Las Vegas Home Sweet Home, was endangering residents of the facility. The investigation revealed that Agsalud had provided care to residents in the facility even though she was not a qualified caregiver. In addition, the MFCU investigation also revealed that Agsalud had moved a resident from Las Vegas Home Sweet Home and into an unlicensed and unregulated personal residence. By moving the resident into an unlicensed facility, Agsalud placed the resident in a situation where the resident could suffer physical pain or mental suffering. Furthermore, while the resident was at the unlicensed residence, Agsalud refused to provide the resident with his wheelchair, rendering the resident bedbound for approximately two weeks.
The neglect in this case occurred between July 2011 and August 2011.
Persons convicted of abuse, neglect, or exploitation of the elderly may also be administratively excluded from future Medicaid and Medicare participation.
The case was investigated and prosecuted by 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 702-486-3187 or 775-684-1191. Medicaid fraud information can also be found on the Attorney General’s web site: http://ag.nv.gov/.
The case was prosecuted by Andrew Schulke, Senior Deputy Attorney General.
Click here to read the criminal information.
| MARY JENNIFER AGSALUD |
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(Photos courtesy of Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department)
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