Nursing home owner, Bob Dean bonds out of jail after self surrendering

NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - A Louisiana nursing home operator who was embroiled in controversy for his handling of evacuations during Hurricane Ida, is under arrest tonight. 68-year-old Bob Dean turned himself into the Tangipahoa Parish Jail, and then made bond of $350,000 and was released.

”I’m talking about waste on the floor I couldn’t breathe as it was,” said former resident Sean May from an interview with Fox 8′s Lee Zurik last year.

Nursing home owner Bob Dean evacuated 850 residents, from seven nursing homes to a warehouse facility in Independence Louisiana.

CONTINUING COVERAGE

• La. nursing home owner charged with felony cruelty in deadly Ida evacuations
• Owner of nursing homes involved in warehouse evacuation plans to appeal license revocation
• Zurik: Families of nursing home residents in warehouse shelter say owner ‘needs to be punished’
• Five more residents evacuated to warehouse shelter file suit against nursing homes, owner
• Lawsuit filed over ‘horrific and inhumane’ conditions at nursing home evacuation warehouse where 7 died
• Zurik: Nursing homes claimed they were ready for evacuation, LDH and families disagree

Dean now faces 8 felony counts of cruelty to persons with infirmities, 5 felony counts of Medicaid fraud, and 2 felony counts of obstruction of justice, for allegedly engaging in conduct intended to intimidate or obstruct public health officials and law enforcement.

“He’s got trouble, these are all felonies and the one cruelty to the infirm, if they prove malicious intent you have to do one year in jail without probation parole or suspension of sentence,” said Fox 8 Legal Analyst Joe Raspanti.

Former nursing home residents say they are pleased that Dean has finally been arrested, after their evacuation ordeal at the end of August last year.

A total of seven nursing home residents died, with at least four of those deaths being deemed storm-related.

Two months ago the department of health and human services announced the dean could no longer participate in federal healthcare programs. We have reached out to Dean’s attorney John McLindon. He says he’s still reviewing the charges but says Dean will plead not guilty, and mount a vigorous defense against the charges he’s facing.

See a spelling or grammar error in our story? Click Here to report it. Please include the headline.

Copyright 2022 WVUE. All rights reserved.