AG: Guilty plea for adult family home owner in criminal mistreatment case

Published 4:22 pm Tuesday, June 9, 2015

For the Reporter

A former Auburn adult family home operator pleaded guilty today to charges he criminally mistreated a man in his care.

The Attorney General’s Office Medicaid Fraud Control Unit charged Alfredo Tia with second-degree criminal mistreatment in King County Superior Court. Tia was arrested at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on April 22 as he returned from the Philippines.

The case represents the first time the Attorney General’s Office has convicted a health care provider of felony-level criminal mistreatment.

“Elder abuse has no place in Washington. If you mistreat Medicaid patients, my office will hold you accountable,” Attorney General Bob Ferguson said. “I’m glad we could deliver a measure of justice for the victim in this case.”

The office will ask for the top end of the sentencing range for a first-time offender, which is three months in jail.

The victim, a 69-year-old man, was a resident of Joportia Adult Family Home from July 11, 2014, until he was admitted to MultiCare Auburn Medical Center earlier this year with six severe pressure ulcers, at least one of which went to the bone. He remained hospitalized for months.

A social worker at the hospital reported suspected abuse. The case was investigated by the AGO Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, as the victim’s care was paid for by Medicaid programs.

Tia, who was the owner and residential care provider at Joportia AFH, left the country as the Department of Social and Health Services was closing the home in January.

Sentencing has been scheduled for 2:45 p.m. Friday, June 19 in King County Superior Court before Judge Andrea Darvas.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Yarden Weidenfeld.