Beebouts back to court May 18 while nurse will appear May 20

May 7—Following the February arrests of the husband-and-wife team for failure to report human remains, a subsequent investigation will have Jason and Jaclyn Beebout back in Cass Superior Court 2 at 9 a.m. Tuesday, May 18 on new charges.

While early reports from the Logansport Police Department stated that Jaclyn Beebout, 41, allegedly had taken at least $3,000 from her mother, Cynthia Newman, 65, whose body was found in late January inside the residence at 910 22nd St. in a state of decay, further examination revealed that Beebout and her 44-year-old husband acted together in fraudulent transactions.

Based upon information filed by the Cass County Prosecutor's Office, the Logansport residents are facing additional felonies. They must appear in Superior Court 2 on counts stemming from events that occurred between July 1, 2020, and Jan. 15, 2021. The first is a Level 5 felony of fraud on a financial institution, whereby the couple did knowingly execute or attempt to execute a scheme to obtain money, funds, credits, or property owned by or under the control of MetaBank, a federally insured financial institution.

The charges also include two counts of Level 6 felony fraud that involved the Beebouts acting with the intent to defraud Newman by using her credit card, knowing it was unlawfully obtained, as well as one count of theft, a Level 6 felony, whereby the couple intentionally deprived Newman of use or value of cash property.

A fifth charge of welfare fraud, also a Level 6 felony, has been filed. Here, the information claims that the Beebouts knowingly or intentionally acquired or disposed of public relief in the amount between $750 and $50,000.

In addition to the May 18 court date, they are set to appear before Judge Lisa Swaim at 9 a.m. June 21 for separate final pretrial conferences, and at 8:30 a.m. July 14 for separate jury trials.

Jason Beebout will go back to Cass Circuit Court at 1 p.m. Thursday, June 3 on a Level 3 felony burglary charge. According to police reports, Beebout had allegedly broken into a 78-year-old woman's residence in the 1000 block of 21st Street by sliding in through a window. Once inside the residence, he held her down and choked her.

According to the police department, the woman reported that she had been sleeping on a couch when she woke up to a man attempting to pin her head down. Evidence collected at the scene linked the late 2020 crime to Jason Beebout.

Then, at 1 p.m. June 21, he will return to Superior Court 2 for a bench trial in the case involving his mother-in-law's remains, found with "extensive decompensation where the hands were showing bone and the skin was beginning to peel off," according to the LPD.

A police report further stated that Beebout had claimed that "his mother-in-law ... was deceased and ha[d] been dead since approximately October." He also allegedly informed a friend that "the body of Cynthia was turning black," the report stated.

His wife has been charged with the same crime stemming from the incident of late January.

Jaclyn Beebout's failure to report human remains case, however, is tracking with her Superior Court 1 possession of methamphetamine charge. Judge James Muehlhausen will hold a pretrial conference for the felony drug case at 9 a.m. June 21, at which time he will have a status conference in the misdemeanor case as well.

Beebout also must appear for her 9 a.m. July 22 final pretrial conference and 9 a.m. Aug. 10 jury trial for the meth case.

RN CASE

Also making its way through the judicial system is Robyn Price's four-count felony case pending in Circuit Court.

Filed by the Attorney General's office, the affidavit for probable cause states that the AG's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit Diversion Investigator found evidence pinpointing nefarious happenings at Chase Center Rehabilitation and Nursing Services at 2 Chase Park.

According to the report, Price, 42, of Walkerton, is a registered nurse (RN), licensed by the State of Indiana. She was employed as a nurse at Chase.

Events leading to her termination included falsifying medical records and depriving a 75-year-old patient who suffered a leg fracture of her physician-prescribed pain medication, Norco, according to the report. Norco is a schedule II opioid, consisting of hydrocodone and acetaminophen.

A urine sample provided by Price indicated a positive result for opiates, the affidavit stated.

Based upon the affidavit, employees noticed incorrect entries in the patient's medical charts. They also reported a shortage of the patient's pills. Notifying the administrator, Lacey Schnurpel, contacted the AG's office so she could report a "misappropriation of property."

Price has been charged with the following: a Level 5 felony of interference with medical services where the defendant is a licensed health care provider, and Level 6 felonies, including obtaining a controlled substance by fraud or deceit; failure to make, keep or furnish records; and, furnishing false or fraudulent information.

Her next court date is Thursday, May 20 at 1 p.m. followed by a final pretrial conference at 1 p.m. June 17, and a jury trial at 9 a.m. Aug. 9.

Reach Kristi Hileman at kristi.hileman@pharostribune.com or 574-732-5150