Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office played a key role last week in a major nationwide enforcement action against licensed medical professionals who allegedly participate in fraudulent health care schemes.
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) conducted 14 criminal investigations into alleged Medicaid fraud, leading to charges against 14 individuals.
“The Medicaid program was created to provide needed medical care to disabled and low-income Hoosiers,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Instead, too many unethical providers steal Medicaidfunds and resources to serve their own selfish interests. Our team of lawyers and investigators will keep pursuing and prosecuting lawbreakers who illegally try to defraud the system.”
In the 14 cases, the Indiana Attorney General’s MFCU investigated licensed health care professionals and Medicaid providers suspected of illegal activity.
In 13 of the 14 cases, Attorney General Rokita’s attorneys are prosecuting the alleged crimes with assent of the local prosecutors’ offices in the counties where the alleged crimes occurred.
These investigations are part of a nationwide initiative led by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Following are summations of cases in which Indiana’s MFCU investigators participated. In each case, the fact that a person has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and these persons are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The abbreviations "LPN" and "RN" designate licensed practical nurses and registered nurses, respectively.
State v Kristin Sturdivant 09D01-2406-F6-000159
In Cass County, RN Kristin S. Sturdivant, 34, of Logansport, Indiana, is charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and furnishing false or fraudulent information — all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Sturdivant, while working at a nursing home, signed out narcotics for patient use but did not administer the medication to the patients on numerous occasions. The case was investigated by Nick Anderson and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robin Hodapp-Gillman, both with the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Vincent Colonna 32D04-2406-F6-000552
In Hendricks County, RN Vincent Colonna, 70, of Cape Coral, Florida, is charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and furnishing false or fraudulent information — all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Colonna, while working at a hospital, diverted medication from patients and did not properly dispose of waste, taking controlled substances for his own use. The case was investigated by Nick Anderson and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robin Hodapp-Gillman, both with the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Amy Mullins 82C01-2406-F6-003951
In Vanderburgh County, RN Amy Nicole Mullins, 36, of Rockport, Indiana, is charged with Failure to Make, Keep or Furnish Records, and Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit as Level 6 Felonies and Theft as a Class A Misdemeanor. Mullins is alleged to have stolen medication prescribed from a patient in an Evansville nursing home. The case was investigated by Sarah Shoup and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Georgeanna Teipen, both with the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Autumn Duvall 82C01-2406-F6-003952
In Vanderburgh County, RN Autumn Marie Duvall, 43, of Anderson, Indiana, is charged with Failure to Make, Keep or Furnish Records, Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, and Possession of a Narcotic Drug, as Level 6 Felonies. Duvall is alleged to have stolen narcotic pain medication prescribed for two residents of an assisted living facility in Evansville. One of the residents had already been discharged from the facility and reported the medication that she had brought to the facility when she was admitted could not be found when she was discharged. The case was investigated by Vinnie Gieselman and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Georgeanna Teipen, all members of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Myah Samples 82C01-2406-F6-003953
In Vanderburgh County, Qualified Medication Aide (QMA) Myah Alise Samples, 25, of Evansville, Indiana, is charged with Failure to Make, Keep or Furnish Records, Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, and Possession of a Narcotic Drug, as Level 6 Felonies. It is alleged that Samples took narcotic pain medication prescribed to a patient in an assisted living facility in Evansville. It is further alleged that during the course of the investigation Samples admitted to taking the pills. The case was investigated by Vinnie Gieselman and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Georgeanna Teipen, all members of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Edward Eon Board 10C04-2406-F5-000171
In Clark County, Edward Eon Board, 47, of Jeffersonville, Indiana, was charged with Level 5 Felony Fraud and Misdemeanor counts of Theft and Exploitation of an Endangered Adult. As alleged in the Information, Board, while working as a Certified Nursing Aide, stole the credit card of a nursing home resident, which he used at a sports bar and to purchase various personal items on Amazon worth almost $4,000, including: motorcycle parts; a punk rock studded leather jacket; glitter high-top flashing sneakers; a hip-hop rhinestone necklace and other items of jewelry, and video games. The case was investigated by Frank Loop and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Maureen O’Donnell, both with the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Andriana Bautista 20C01-2406-F6-000713
In Elkhart County, CNA Andrianna Bautista, 29, of Elkhart, Indiana, is charged with nine (9) counts of Theft — all Class A Misdemeanors. It is alleged that Bautista, while working at a nursing home, obtained nine (9) residents bank or credit cards and made unauthorized purchases and cash advances including payments to her Cash App account and other transactions. Bautista allegedly linked the residents’ cards to her Cash App account and made multiple transactions. This case is being prosecuted by the Elkhart County Prosecutors Office.
State v Shalynn Throw 46D04-2406-F6-000782
In LaPorte County, CNA Shalynn Marie Throw, 29, of LaPorte, Indiana, is charged with Fraud, a Level 6 Felony. It is alleged that Throw executed a scheme to defraud the Medicaid Program and Helping Hands by submitting false claims of providing homebound personal and companion services to a patient. It is further alleged that during the course of the investigation Throw admitting to being paid by Helping Hands for services which did not provide. The case was investigated by Nicki Droza and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Georgeanna Teipen, all members of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Rebecca Plaza 55D03-2406-F6-000852
In Morgan County, LPN Rebecca Plaza, 60, of, Indiana, is charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, a Level 6 felony. It is alleged that Plaza, while working at a nursing home, diverted hydromorphone from nursing homes inventory. The case was investigated by Justin White and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robin Hodapp-Gillman, all members of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Jessica Lynn Hallam 87D02-2406-F6-000287
In Warrick County, RN Jessica Lynn Hallam, 39, of Evansville, Indiana, was charged with three Level 6 felonies related to the diversion of controlled substances from a hospital. As alleged in the Information, Hallam was reported by co-workers after becoming outwardly impaired during her shift as a Registered Nurse at the hospital. It is further alleged that during the subsequent investigation, Hallam admitted stealing Morphine, Dilaudid and Lorazepam from the hospital and falsifying her documentation for several years. The case was investigated by Vinnie Gieselman and Julie Nicholson and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Maureen O’Donnell, all members of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Lori Pribble 39D01-2406-CM-000838
In Jefferson County, RN Lori Pribble, 59, of North Vernon, Indiana, was charged with Criminal Recklessness, a Class B Misdemeanor. As alleged in the Information, Pribble, while working as a Registered Nurse in a nursing home, flushed a patient’s catheter with vinegar, causing chemical burns to the victim’s bladder. Pribble admitted that she obtained the vinegar from the facility’s kitchen after she couldn’t locate the appropriate medical-grade solution ordered by the physician. The case was investigated by Kenneth Jasper and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Maureen O’Donnell, both with the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Sherri Shelby 64D01-2406-F3-006399
In Porter County, RN Sherri Lynn Shelby, 56, of Valparaiso, Indiana, is charged with Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury as a Level 3 Felony. It is alleged that while working as the Health Facility Administrator (“HFA”) of a nursing home in East Chicago, Indiana, Shelby was accompanying a patient resident of that nursing home who had limited and restricted capacityto another facility for a tour when a life-threatening incident occurred. Ultimately, the patient resident died. The case was investigated by Craig Whited and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Georgeanna Teipen, all members of the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Meredith Briles 18C05-2406-F6-000352
In Delaware County, RN Meredith Briles, 45, of Muncie, Indiana, is charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud, furnishing false or fraudulent information, and possession of a narcotic drug — all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Briles, while working at a nursing home, ordered controlled substances for patients, acquired Hydrocodone from pharmacies, and did not deliver them to the facility for a period of a year. The case was investigated by Nick Anderson and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robin Hodapp-Gillman, both with the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
State v Katheryn Luna 45D08-2406-F6-001775
In Lake County, RN Katheryn Luna, 65, of Crown Point, Indiana, is charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and furnishing false or fraudulent information — all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Luna, while working at a nursing home, signed out narcotics for patient use but did not administer the medication to the patients on numerous occasions. The case was investigated by Kathy Franko and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robin Hodapp-Gillman, both with the Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.
Attorney General Rokita expressed gratitude to the investigators and attorneys of his Indiana MFCU team for their hard work on these cases.
The Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a federal grant. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the State of Indiana.