JACKSON – A Jackson social worker is behind bars for exploiting several nursing home residents by taking money from their respective trust funds, Attorney General Jim Hood said. At least five other people were also involved in the theft.
Ponchie McCollough, 37, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit the crime of exploitation of vulnerable persons and five counts of felony exploitation of vulnerable persons.
McCollough was a social worker at Belhaven Senior Care, a nursing home in the Jackson area, when the crimes were committed.
Belhaven is owned and operated by Trend Consultants of Natchez, Ms.
Hood said McCollough admitted to Judge Swan Yerger that she used her position to write checks totaling several thousand dollars, from the accounts of certain residents, to the other co-defendants in the case. McCollough said she did this under the guise of spending their money so the residents wouldn’t lose their Medicaid benefits.
The proceeds from the checks were to be used on the needs of the residents, but were instead divided between the conspirators.
Although confined to wheelchairs, four of the victims involved in the case were in court to hear Judge Yerger accept McCollough’s guilty plea.
Upon acceptance of the plea, one of the victims addressed the court asking that the “Judge send a message that nursing homes were not bad places, but that sometimes bad people are employed by nursing homes.”
McCollough was sentenced to five years in the custody of the Mississippi Department of Corrections for the conspiracy charge and 10 years for each of the exploitation charges, four years of which were to be suspended, followed by five years supervised probation.
The sentences are to run concurrently, meaning that McCollough will serve six years.
McCollough has been in jail since her initial arrest on Nov. 18, 2009, and she will be given credit for time served.
McCollough must also pay restitution to Belhaven Senior Care in the amount of $8,100, as well as $1,000 to the Crime Victim’s Compensation Fund.
In addition, McCollough is to testify truthfully against the five co-defendants in this case: Brad Burt, Jessica McKinney, Madeleine Floyd, Justin Johnson and Tina Brewer.
If she does not, she will face additional penalties.
“I really appreciate the tough stance Judge Yerger has taken over the years and I fully intend to bring this matter back before him if this defendant fails to testify truthfully,” said Attorney General Hood.
Hood also said that since Trend Consultants was legally liable for the resident’s trust fund, they are also required to replace the $25,785 to the individual accounts of the residents, as well as pay a penalty of $77,355 to the state for failing to report possible exploitation of vulnerable adults within their facility.
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