Published: August 14, 2009 06:42 pm      

Man accused of stealing elderly’s drugs going to trial

The manager of a Whitfield County assisted living home accused of stealing the residents’ medications and replacing them with over the counter medications pleaded not guilty in Superior Court on Friday and will go to trial on Sept. 14, a court official said.

Wayne Hardwick Dawn Jr., 37, of the Pleasant Valley Assisted Living Center on Reed Road, was arrested in October of 2008 by narcotics investigators with the sheriff's office and charged with six felony counts of cruelty to a person 65 or older; six misdemeanor counts of theft by taking; six misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct; three counts of felony possession of hydrocodone; one felony count of possession of darvocet; and two felony counts of possession of tramodol.

A concerned family member of a Pleasant Valley resident contacted the sheriff’s office last year and audio and video surveillance was begun by investigators.

“Our investigation revealed (Dawn) had a substance abuse problem and had been stealing certain medications from the elderly residents to satisfy his own drug problem,” said Sheriff Scott Chitwood at the time. “We believe this had been happening for about a year.”

None of the residents was reported to have become ill because of the replacement medications. The facility is owned by Dawn’s wife.

Dawn’s attorney, Todd Ray, did not immediately return a phone call on Friday.