Oregon Attorney General John Kroger today announced that Peg Marino, owner of St. Rita’s Senior Care Community, in Salem, Ore., pleaded guilty to 2 counts of first-degree criminal mistreatment in Marion County Circuit Court.

Marino was sentenced to 12 months in jail and must pay more than $50,000 in restitution. Marino stipulated that she will serve an additional 19 months in prison if she violates any condition of her probation, including failure to pay restitution.

“We will not tolerate abuse of Oregon’s seniors. When people violate the law, we will hold them accountable,” said Attorney General John Kroger.

Marino’s Salem nursing home housed some elderly clients suffering from Alzheimer’s. The Oregon Department of Human Services in 2007 took the extraordinary step of seizing the business and appointing a trustee to take over day-to-day operations. DHS later moved all 48 residents to other facilities after finding substandard care and allegations of abuse, including financial exploitation.

An Oregon Department of Justice investigation determined that Marino misappropriated $58,573.17 in funds belonging to four different residents of the facility, which was funded by Medicaid.

Senior Assistant Attorney General Sheen Wu and investigator Vickie Shaffer of the Department of Justice handled the case.

Attorney General John Kroger leads the Oregon Department of Justice. The Department’s mission is to fight crime and fraud, improve child welfare, and protect the rights of all Oregonians.

Contact:

Tony Green, (503) 378-6002 tony.green@doj.state.or.us |