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TALLAHASSEE, FL - Attorney General Bill McCollum today announced the arrest of three individuals from Duval County on charges they were operating two separate assisted living facilities without licenses. Tommy Teague, Roberto Gallegos and Torina Brooks were arrested this morning by law enforcement officers with the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit with assistance from the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.

“Our family members and loved ones deserve the best care available, and unlicensed facilities can pose a serious threat to the residents’ safety and well-being,” said Attorney General McCollum.

Teague, 43, and Gallegos, 33, were operating an unlicensed facility at 2198 Mossbrook Court in Jacksonville. Medicaid fraud investigators learned of the facility upon receiving complaints from the community. The investigators reported the facility to the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), which issued a cease and desist order to the facility. Teague and Gallegos face third-degree felony charges of operating an assisted living facility without a license and could each face up to five years in prison if convicted.

While conducting a routine spotcheck, Medicaid fraud investigators determined that Brooks, 37, had exceeded the capacity of her licensed facility, Pauline’s House at 450 W. 58th Street in Jacksonville, by accepting too many clients. Brooks placed the extra clients in an unlicensed facility across the street and requested Medicaid reimbursement for their care. Brooks continued to operate the second location as an assisted living facility until she received a cease and desist order from AHCA. She faces one count of operating and/or maintaining an assisted living facility without a license, one count of Medicaid fraud and one count of grand theft, all third-degree felonies, and could face up to 15 years if convicted of all charges.

To legally and properly operate an assisted living facility, there are various administrative and operational requirements which must be met, including licensing procedures, staffing requirements, compliance with county health and local fire authority regulations and the safe management of medication by trained staff personnel.

The cases will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office for the Fourth Judicial Circuit.