TANGIPAHOA PARISH, La. — Bob Dean stayed silent Monday as he walked out of a Tangipahoa Parish Courtroom. The 70-year-old had just pleaded “no contest” to 15 criminal charges. His 20-year prison sentence was deferred but he must serve three years of probation.
“We got the case over. It is resolved and now everybody is moving forward. That’s where we are,” said Dean’s defense attorney J. Garrison Jordan.
Dean originally pleaded not guilty to eight counts of cruelty to the infirmed, two counts of obstruction of justice, and five counts of Medicaid fraud. His attorneys say the change in plea ends a nearly three-year saga.
“I’m glad that we can get this particular incident and consequence resolved and the families and everybody, Mr. Dean, and the community can now move forward,” said Dean’s other defense attorney Bruce Harvey.
Those charges stem from the evacuation of seven of Dean’s former nursing homes during Hurricane Ida. Nearly 850 residents were brought to his warehouse in Independence that wasn’t equipped to handle it.
WWL Louisiana was the first to report on the inhumane conditions inside that warehouse, including lack of food, water, and medical care. We watched for hours as ambulances from across the region, including an ambulance bus, were used to move patients to other shelters.
“I felt like I was in tears. Like it was very overwhelming,” said nurse Natalie Henderson to WWL Louisiana in September 2021.
Henderson worked inside the warehouse as overcrowding took over.
“They kept rolling in more residents. I'm like, 'Oh my God.' We had to keep pushing the residents tighter and tighter to fit everyone in,” said Henderson during that 2021 interview.
Several patients died before the state department of health declared an emergency and evacuated the warehouse.
Just before sentencing Monday family members who lost loved ones gave, at times, very tearful victim impact statements to the court. They didn’t want to go on camera but say their loved ones were left to die and they never got a chance to say goodbye.
The Attorney General’s office, which arrested and charged Dean, disagreed with the sentence and wanted him to serve at least five years in prison.
Attorney General Liz Murrill released the following statement.
“Our prosecutors urged that Mr. Dean be held accountable for his conduct, which led to the deaths of numerous elderly individuals. We asked specifically that he be sentenced to a minimum of 5 years in prison, and not be given only probation. I respect our judicial system, and that the judge has the ultimate discretion over the appropriate sentence, but I remain of the opinion that Dean should be serving prison time.”
Judge Brian Ables said Dean’s age, no criminal history, and requirement to pay more than $1 million in fines and court costs were factors in the sentencing.
“This is an opportunity for you to help make right some of the things that you have done,” said Judge Ables as he addressed Dean in court.
In addition to the criminal case, a class action lawsuit against him reached a settlement with about $12 million dollars from Dean’s insurance proceeds going to former nursing home residents and their families.
Dean, who lives in Atlanta, will eventually have his probation transferred to Georgia.
As a recap, Dean pleaded "No Contest" to the following:
- 8 counts of cruelty to the infirmed
- 2 counts of obstruction of justice
- 5 counts of Medicaid fraud
The Louisiana Attorney General's Office arrested Dean on multiple charges in June 2022, nearly a year after Ida made landfall.
The seven nursing homes the residents were originally housed at are:
- River Palms Nursing and Rehab in Orleans Parish
- South Lafourche Nursing and Rehab in Lafourche Parish
- Maison Orleans Healthcare Center in Orleans Parish
- Park Place Healthcare Nursing Home in Jefferson Parish
- West Jefferson Health Care Center in Jefferson Parish
- Maison DeVille Nursing Home in Terrebonne Parish
- Maison DeVille Nursing Home of Harvey in Jefferson Parish