New charges filed over alleged abuse by staffer at McGuire

More charges were filed Wednesday against a former caretaker accused of taking photos and videos of nude patients at a Beaver County facility for residents with special needs.

Investigators with the Beaver County district attorney’s office levied 47 counts on eight new charges against Zachary Dinell, 25, of Freedom, who had worked at McGuire Memorial in Daugherty Township.

The new charges apply to 12 of 17 victims Mr. Dinell is accused of assaulting and filming without their consent in 2017 and 2018.

In an affidavit of probable cause, investigators said they found images and videos of Mr. Dinell assaulting patients with disabilities who live at McGuire, a ministry of the Felician Sisters of North America.

McGuire attorney Thomas W. King said the facility fired Mr. Dinell and hired a security firm to investigate and prevent similar incidents.

The charges filed Wednesday were expected after Mr. Dinell’s trial was postponed when new evidence surfaced, said Mr. King.

The affidavit said Mr. Dinell committed various acts of aggravated assault — including punching and kicking patients, rubbing unknown substances into their eyes, throwing objects at patients’ heads and choking a patient.

Mr. Dinell had been scheduled to go on trial in July before Beaver County Common Pleas Judge Dale Fouse. He was charged with over 40 felony and misdemeanor charges in June 2018, alleging that he took photos and videos of nude patients,

including juveniles.

The trial was postponed after investigators said they obtained more evidence that included more victims.

In a separate complaint filed against a man identified as Tyler Smith, investigators said they found video, filmed by Mr. Dinell on his phone, in which Mr. Smith jumps onto a patient while the person appeared to be sleeping.

He stood “on the foot board [ of the bed] ... and then jumps and lands on top of the [ victim],” who was “struck across his entire body and also struck in the head and neck area,” according to the complaint.

Mr. Smith is charged with simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and endangering the welfare of children.

Steven Townsend, Mr. Smith’s attorney, declined to comment.

Stephen Colafella, Mr. Dinell’s attorney, could not be reached Wednesday.