Social Worker Sentenced for Exploiting Vulnerable Adults - MSNewsNow.com - Jackson, MS

Social Worker Sentenced for Exploiting Vulnerable Adults

JACKSON, MS (WLBT) - A Jackson social worker was sentenced Wednesday for exploiting vulnerable persons in her care.

37 year old Ponchie McCollough entered guilty pleas to one count of conspiracy to commit the crime of exploitation of vulnerable persons and five counts of felony exploitation of vulnerable persons.

McCollough admitted that she exploited residents at Belhaven Senior Care in Jackson out of several thousand dollars. She told the judge she used her position to have checks written to other co-defendants from the trust funds of the vulnerable adults under the guise of spending down their money so they would not lose their medicaid benefits. The proceeds from the checks were then divided between the conspirators.

The judge then ordered her to serve six years in prison followed by five years of supervised probation. McCollough is required to pay restitution to Belhaven Senior Care and the crime victim's compensation fund.

She must also testify against the five co-defendants in the case.

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