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2 charged with taking advantage of senior group home residents

Posted at 2:58 PM, Sep 21, 2018
and last updated 2018-09-21 16:58:59-04

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    COOKEVILLE, TN (WSMV) — The former operator of a Putnam County group home faces multiple charges after a joint investigation between the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, Tennessee Bureau of Investigation and multiple local and state agencies.

During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that from 2016 through 2018 Stephanie Butler, the then operator of the Senior Lifestyles facility in Cookeville, was responsible for financially exploiting several of the residents, using their financial assets for her personal use.

Agents also determined that she and Brian Richey, a nurse practitioner who provided medical services for the residents, were involved in diverting controlled substance medication that belonged to the residents for their own personal use.

The Putnam County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Butler, 44, with one count of conspiracy to obtain controlled substances by fraud, one count of obtaining controlled substances by fraud, 11 counts of financial exploitation, one count of theft over $2,500, four counts of identity theft, six counts of money laundering and one count of tampering with evidence. Richey, 36, was charged with one count of conspiracy to obtain controlled substances by fraud, one count of obtaining controlled substances by fraud, one count of conspiracy to commit financial exploitation of an elderly/vulnerable adult and one count of financial exploitation.

Butler was arrested Wednesday and booked into the Putnam County Jail with a $150,000 bond. Richey was arrested on Thursday morning and booked with a bond of $40,000.

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