MIDVALE, Utah — Managers of the condemned Evergreen Place in Midvale pled guilty to charges of exploitation and neglect of vulnerable adults on March 21 in connection with multiple felony charges filed against them by the Utah Attorney General's Office for the "deplorable conditions" found by Salt Lake County health officials.
Jorge Gustavo Gonzalez Sr. and Ignacio Gonzalez-Villarruel entered the pleas at Third District Court for conditions at the assisted living facility that were found to cause "imminent harm" to residents.
READ: Charges filed against Midvale assisted living home found to be 'deplorable'
Unsafe and unsanitary conditions included insect infestations, overcrowding, inadequate staffing, and a lack of food and proper medical care.
Facility violations also included a non-working furnace and raw sewage flooding the basement.
Despite these conditions, Gonzalez and Gonzalez-Villarruel collected rent payments between $1,000 and $1,400 per month per resident.
An order of restitution includes reimbursement to all resident for rent paid for January 2022, when, despite safety and health violations, the defendants collected rent payments.
“Our senior population is very vulnerable and elder abuse is one of the most pernicious crimes we prosecute," said Attorney General Sean Reyes.
"Congratulations to Director Wooton, Assistant Attorney General Langdon Fisher, and the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. There’s a reason they were honored in 2023 as the top unit in America by their federal counterparts."
