September 29, 2006

            LANSING -- Attorney General Mike Cox announced the filing of a fifth round of complaints against individuals who falsified applications with respect to their criminal background histories in order to obtain employment at licensed long-term care facilities.  The charges were filed against six individuals who applied for a variety of positions that would have placed them in direct contact with vulnerable nursing home residents.

            Stated Cox, "Residents of nursing homes and their loved ones deserve an assurance of security.  My office is working to make sure that seniors and other vulnerable adults are protected."    

            Charges were filed against the following individuals:

·     A complaint was filed in the 52-3 District Court of Rochester Hills charging Felicia Ann Dunlap, 27, of Pontiac, with knowingly providing false information regarding her criminal convictions when she applied for a position as a Certified Nurse Aide (C.N.A.) on October 11, 2005.  Dunlap is alleged to have failed to disclose a February 16, 1999, conviction for felony embezzlement. 

·     A complaint was filed in the 57^th District Court of Allegan charging Wendolyn Joy Barnum, age 42, of Wayland, with providing false background information in order to gain employment as a C.N.A. on or about November 23, 2005.  Barnum is alleged to have failed to disclose that she had a previous felony conviction for possession of a controlled substance, as well as a conviction for domestic violence.

·     A complaint was filed in the 57^th District Court of Allegan charging Zeth Ryan Bowerman, age 27, of Wayland, with providing false background information in order to gain employment as a dietary aide.  On or about November 16, 2005, Bowerman is alleged to have signed a pre-employment statement regarding his criminal history that failed to disclose a 2003 conviction for assault and battery. 

·     A complaint was filed in the 59^th District Court of Grandville against Kimberley Anne Lauer-Deluca, age 38, of Grandville, for allegedly failing to disclose in her May 1, 2006, application for employment as a C.N.A. that she had been convicted of embezzlement in April 2004. 

·     A complaint was filed in the 70-1 District Court of Saginaw against Kashunda Santrece Clark, age 35, of Saginaw, for allegedly failing to disclose in a January 12, 2006, employment application for a nurse externship position that she had been convicted of multiple felonies since November 1996, including stealing/retaining a financial transaction device without consent, uttering and publishing, and false pretenses.

·     A complaint was filed in the 86^th District Court of Grand Traverse County against Joni Kay McNair, age 36, of Kingsley, for allegedly falsifying her February 9, 2006, employment application for a housekeeping position by failing to disclose a September 18, 1992, felony conviction for attempted drug abuse. 

            Since September 2005, Cox has filed 36 warrants for employees falsifying nursing home employment applications.  These are primarily the result of an ongoing review by the Attorney General's Health Care Fraud Division of the criminal history of over 3,400 employees at 25 facilities in Michigan.

            A criminal charge is an accusation, and the defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.

            The maximum penalty for providing false information regarding prior criminal convictions on an employment application at a nursing home, county medical care facility or a home for the aged is 93 days imprisonment and/or $500 fine.

            To report Medicaid provider fraud or patient abuse in a resident care facility, call the Attorney General?s 24-hour Hotline at (800 24-ABUSE [800-242-2873]); e-mail hcf@michigan.gov; or visit http://www.michigan.gov/ag.

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