Office of the Attorney General
Two Community Presence Caregivers Sentenced For Abusing A Patient

Attorney General Jack Conway today announced the sentencing of two Kentucky caregivers who pled guilty on December 4, 2009 to the abuse of a patient at Community Presence, Inc.  Todd Gribbin, of Flatwoods, and Earl Pelfrey, of Grayson, were sentenced today in Carter Circuit Court to one year for wantonly abusing an adult, wanton endangerment first degree and unlawful imprisonment first degree, all class D felonies.  The sentences will be diverted for a period of five years.

Gribbin and Pelfrey were indicted in Carter Circuit Court in connection with the abuse of Michael Price, a mentally handicapped adult who was under the care of and resided at Community Presence, Inc.  Gribbin and Pelfrey worked at Community Presence’s Adult Day Treatment facility.   On September 20, 2007, Gribbin and Pelfrey, as well as other caregivers from Community Presence, laid on the victim’s back and chest for extended periods of time. 

As part of their sentence, Gribbin and Pelfrey also were ordered to never again be employed as caregivers of vulnerable adults or children.  They both have agreed to cooperate with the ongoing investigations and prosecutions of Community Presence, Inc. staff members and testify against their remaining co-defendants.

Investigators from the Office of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud and Abuse Division, assisted by the Grayson Police Department, investigated the case and made the arrests of both defendants.  Prosecutors from the Medicaid Fraud Division handled the prosecution of this case at the request of the Carter County Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office.

Charges in this case are still pending against Bob Thompson, Michael Yates and Mathew Wilburn.  Bob Thompson, Regina Stephens and Ira Lee Griffith also face charges in connection with other allegations of patient abuse at the facility.  Investigations into Community Presence, Inc. are ongoing.

Todd Gribbin

Earl Pelfrey