Crime & Safety
$30K Stolen From Elderly By Worcester CNA During COVID-19 Lockdown: AG
The 52-year-old nursing assistant drained the bank accounts for nearly a year, even taking money after one victim died, prosecutors said.
WORCESTER, MA — A former Worcester nursing assistant stole $30,000 from four elderly nursing home residents during a COVID-19 quarantine, and continued to steal from one resident after they died, according to prosecutors.
Alexander Irizarry, 52, pleaded not guilty this week to four counts of larceny from a person over age 60, attempted larceny from a person over age 60 of $250 or more and attempted larceny from a person over age 60 of $250 or less.
Attorney General Maura Healey said Irizarry stole from the residents at the Parsons Hill Rehabilitation and Health Care Center for 11 months beginning in June 2020, taking advantage of people who suffered from "memory issues, declining health, or mental health issues."
"Irizarry exploited his position of trust as a Certified Nursing Assistant ... to gain access to the four residents’ debit cards under the guise of having permission from the facility to shop and do banking for residents who were quarantined during the COVID-19 pandemic," a news release said.
Irizarry carried the debit cards with him, stopping at ATMs to withdraw money, including while on vacation in Florida. In one instance, he continued using a debit card after its owner died, Healey said in a news release.
Healey's Medicaid fraud division and Worcester police detectives worked jointly on the case.
After an arraignment this week, Irizarry was released on $5,000 bail ahead of his next court hearing on May 19. A judge ordered him not to have any contact with Parsons Hills, not to work as a nursing assistant and not to provide services for anyone over 60.
