Attorney General James Uthmeier Announces Arrests, Charges in Multi-Circuit Elder and Disabled Adult Abuse Case
TALLAHASSEE, Fla—Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced that the Office of Statewide Prosecution filed felony charges against Ronald Keith Pack, 60, and Marie Carenan, 56, for an alleged years-long scheme in which they operated eight unlicensed assisted living facilities, systematically defrauded and exploited elderly and disabled adults, and subjected them to abuse and neglect.
“Florida will not stand by while predators pose as caregivers and prey on the elderly and disabled,” said Attorney General James Uthmeier. “These defendants are accused of turning homes into prisons, stealing benefits, denying food and medicine, and subjecting victims to shocking conditions. I thank the members of the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, and our state agencies who took part in this operation.”
“The Department played a key role in this operation from the earliest stages, working closely with our local partners to protect vulnerable adults and ensure that bad actors were held accountable,” said Department of Children and Families Secretary Taylor N. Hatch. “Our collaboration and collective responsibility ensured that every step focused on safety, care, and accountability. We will continue standing shoulder to shoulder with our partners to protect those we serve.”
“There is no place in Florida’s health care system for those who exploit the elderly and disabled for personal gain,” said Agency for Health Care Administration Secretary Shevaun Harris. “I commend the Attorney General for taking swift action, and AHCA will continue doing everything in our power to ensure vulnerable Floridians are protected.”
“Florida’s seniors have spent their lives building this state and raising our families, they deserve to live their later years with dignity, safety, and peace of mind,” said Department of Elder Affairs Secretary Michelle Branham. “It is deeply troubling that anyone would prey upon that trust through abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation. The Department of Elder Affairs is grateful to the Attorney General for taking this important action, and we remain unwavering in our commitment to protecting every Floridian who calls a long-term care community home.”
"The safety and well-being of Florida's vulnerable adults, including older adults and individuals with disabilities, is a responsibility we all share," said Agency for Persons with Disability Director Bob Asztalos. "The Agency for Persons with Disabilities is proud to support Attorney General James Uthmeier, law enforcement, and our state agency partners in this coordinated effort. We thank everyone involved for their professionalism and unwavering commitment to protecting vulnerable adults and holding those who exploit or abuse them accountable."
Pack and Carenan, doing business as Cherish Home Care, Inc. and Cherish Independent Living Care, Inc., are accused of receiving referrals from mental health and behavioral health facilities, transporting vulnerable patients to their network of homes, and then seizing control of their identification, EBT cards, Social Security benefits, medications, and personal belongings while restricting their freedom through padlocked doors, windows, refrigerators, and cabinets. Victims reportedly could not leave freely, manage their own finances or food, or access emergency medical care.
The seven-count Information charges the defendants with:
- Count 1: Organized Scheme to Defraud (Involving an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult) over $20,000 – 1st Degree Felony
- Count 2: Exploitation of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult over $10,000 – 2nd Degree Felony
- Count 3: Aggravated Abuse of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult – 1st Degree Felony
- Count 4: Aggravated Neglect of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult – 2nd Degree Felony
- Count 5: Abuse of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult – 3rd Degree Felony
- Count 6: Neglect of an Elderly Person or Disabled Adult – 3rd Degree Felony
- Count 7: Public Assistance Fraud – 3rd Degree Felony
The Osceola County Sheriff’s Office and Polk County Sheriff’s Office, working with the Office of Statewide Prosecution, executed the warrants and simultaneous search warrants at multiple residences in Kissimmee and surrounding areas. A motion for pretrial detention has been filed on the most serious counts to hold the defendants without bond.
The investigation, led by the Osceola County Sheriff’s Office with assistance from Polk County, the Department of Children and Families (DCF) Adult Protective Services, Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), and others, uncovered over 300 calls for service at the properties in Osceola County alone, repeated DCF complaints of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, and evidence of fraudulent use of public assistance benefits.
A Ninth Circuit judge previously ordered several victims removed from the defendants’ care after finding they lacked capacity to live independently.
AHCA, DCF, Adult Protective Services, APD, and Elder Affairs representatives were on scene assisting with the immediate relocation and care of vulnerable residents. Victim advocate support is also being provided.
The Office of Statewide Prosecution will seek to amend charges if additional evidence from today’s searches warrants it. As charged, Pack and Carenan are facing up to 105 years in the Florida Department of Corrections.
This case is being prosecuted by Senior Assistant Statewide Prosecutor Lauryn Day and Special Counsel for Public Assistance Fraud Scott Strauss in the Ninth Judicial Circuit.
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