Rutledge highlights recent AR convictions

eral Arkansas Leslie Attorney Rutledge Gen- announced recent noteworthy arrests and convictions by the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) of the Arkansas Attorney General’s Office.

“This is a warning to all Arkansans committing Medicaid fraud on some of our most vulnerable residents,” said Attorney General Rutledge. “My Medicaid Fraud unit continues to identify and prosecute fraud cases because Arkansans and taxpayers deserve better.”

Convictions

In Faulkner County, Karen Todd, 53, pleaded guilty to Class A felony Medicaid Fraud. Ms. Todd was sentenced to 36 months in the Arkansas Department of Corrections with an additional john allan allan funk tional

Allan 84 Funk months suspended imposition of sentence. She was ordered to pay $ 286,536.64 in restitution to the Arkansas Medicaid Program Trust Fund and $ 573,073.28 in fines to the general revenue of the State of Arkansas. The restitution is joint and several with Dr. Charles Todd, Jr., pursuant to a civil settlement in State v. Dr. Charles Todd, Jr., 23CV- 21- 1035.

In Pulaski County, Jawara Blanks, 31, pleaded guilty to probation revocation. He was sentenced to five years probation. Mr. Blanks was ordered to pay $ 10,485 in restitution and $ 32,096.00 in fines to general revenue of the State of Arkansas. This case was pertaining to secondary services billed while the primary provider had billed for services.

In Scott County, Doretha Eslick, 31, pleaded guilty to one count of Abuse of an Endangered or Impaired Person, a Class D felony and one count of Medicaid Fraud, a Class A misdemeanor. Ms. Eslick was sentenced to 60 days in county jail followed by 36 months of supervised probation and ordered to pay $ 540 restitution to the Medicaid Trust Fund. Ms. Eslick coerced a client, to whom she provided medical care services, to sign timesheets showing she completed the care for the client, when in fact no services were performed. The dates of the fraudulent billings were September 4, 2020 - October 1, 2020.

In Washington County, Bobby Morgan, 60, pleaded guilty to Abuse of an Endangered or Impaired Person without Injury, a Class C misdemeanor. He was sentenced to 30 days in the Washington County jail and ordered to pay a fine of $ 100, restitution to the victim in the amount of $ 1006.16, and court costs. Morgan was accused of misappropriating funds from his mother’s account while she was a patient at North Hills Health & Rehab. In August 2019, all of the money from Mr. Morgan’s mother’s Social Security checks was withdrawn or transferred to Mr. Morgan’s account.

In Pulaski County, Teashara Smith, 33, pleaded guilty to one count of Conspiracy to Distribute and Possession with Intent to Distribute Marijuana, Oxycodone, Ecstasy, and Alprazolam, a Class C felony. Teashara Smith was sentenced to two years of supervised release and a $ 100.00 fine.