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Police Say Ohio Nurse Abused 14 Patients
Jan 31, 2008
SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) - Investigators have verified 14 cases of abuse by a
nightshift nurse who told police he abused nearly 100 patients at health
care centers since the 1980s, authorities said Thursday.
John Riems, 49, was arrested last week and has been charged with raping a
partially paralyzed nursing home patient. That case sparked the
investigation and emerged when a relative of the patient became suspicious
and called police.
Some of the 14 victims were physically or mentally unable to tell others
what had happened, said Perkins Township Police Chief Tim McClung. He said
that the victims included men and women, mostly older, and that two have
died.
Riems has worked at 12 nursing homes and hospitals in northern Ohio and one
care center in New York. Authorities said he told police the pattern of
abuse began shortly after he began his career in 1985.
Riems has been charged in only one case. Authorities would not say whether
the other allegations are sexual in nature, but said Riems was able to
recall specific information in only about two dozen cases. Their
investigation is continuing.
"This is a large and complicated case," said Lloyd Early, an investigator
with the Ohio attorney general's office. "It's hard to say how big this will
become."
Riems pleaded not guilty to rape and gross sexual imposition last week. He
appeared in Sandusky Municipal Court on Thursday and was bound over to Erie
County Common Pleas court, where his case is likely to presented to a grand
jury in the coming weeks.
His attorney, Troy Wisehart, would not say whether Riems had admitted
anything to him. He said the man's family is shocked.
"We're just hoping the general public doesn't jump to conclusions," Wisehart
said.
Riems is accused of assaulting a partially paralyzed 55-year-old man at
Concord Care and Rehabilitation Center in Sandusky. Perkins Township police
Detective Alan Jenkins testified that the patient can communicate only by
shaking his head or moving his hand.
Police have not said when the alleged assault happened, but Jenkins said
Riems admitted during a Jan. 19 interview that he had touched the man in a
sexual manner and that he did it for his own sexual gratification.
McClung, the police chief, would not provide specifics of 13 other alleged
assaults he said were confirmed through interviews with patients, family
members and a review of nursing home records.
Riems was being held in the Erie County jail on $100,000 bond. Erie County
Prosecutor Kevin Baxter said his office would determine whether other
charges would be filed once the investigation is complete.
Riems had worked at Concord since 2002.
Concord officials issued a statement last week saying that they were "as
shocked as anyone by the actions of Mr. Riems," and that he had been fired.
They have otherwise declined to comment.
Investigators from the Ohio Department of Health have been investigating
complaints against Concord that include allegations of resident abuse.
Riems worked at Fremont Memorial Hospital, about 20 miles southwest of
Sandusky, for three months in 1985 and left before finishing his orientation
period.
Spokeswoman Linda Thiel declined to comment on why he left, citing
confidentiality. There were no complaints listed on his personnel file, she
said.
Riems has the longest history at Elyria United Methodist Village, about 30
miles east of Sandusky, where he worked intermittently for nearly 20 years.
"We had no evidence or reports of any inappropriate behavior whatsoever,"
said Pam Koutsaftis, the facility's vice president of marketing. "(Riems)
was a nursing supervisor, and that position is one where he would have
minimal direct patient care or contact."
Police Say Ohio Nurse Abused 14 Patients
Jan 31, 2008
SANDUSKY, Ohio (AP) - Investigators have verified 14 cases of abuse by a
nightshift nurse who told police he abused nearly 100 patients at health
care centers since the 1980s, authorities said Thursday.
John Riems, 49, was arrested last week and has been charged with raping a
partially paralyzed nursing home patient. That case sparked the
investigation and emerged when a relative of the patient became suspicious
and called police.
Some of the 14 victims were physically or mentally unable to tell others
what had happened, said Perkins Township Police Chief Tim McClung. He said
that the victims included men and women, mostly older, and that two have
died.
Riems has worked at 12 nursing homes and hospitals in northern Ohio and one
care center in New York. Authorities said he told police the pattern of
abuse began shortly after he began his career in 1985.
Riems has been charged in only one case. Authorities would not say whether
the other allegations are sexual in nature, but said Riems was able to
recall specific information in only about two dozen cases. Their
investigation is continuing.
"This is a large and complicated case," said Lloyd Early, an investigator
with the Ohio attorney general's office. "It's hard to say how big this will
become."
Riems pleaded not guilty to rape and gross sexual imposition last week. He
appeared in Sandusky Municipal Court on Thursday and was bound over to Erie
County Common Pleas court, where his case is likely to presented to a grand
jury in the coming weeks.
His attorney, Troy Wisehart, would not say whether Riems had admitted
anything to him. He said the man's family is shocked.
"We're just hoping the general public doesn't jump to conclusions," Wisehart
said.
Riems is accused of assaulting a partially paralyzed 55-year-old man at
Concord Care and Rehabilitation Center in Sandusky. Perkins Township police
Detective Alan Jenkins testified that the patient can communicate only by
shaking his head or moving his hand.
Police have not said when the alleged assault happened, but Jenkins said
Riems admitted during a Jan. 19 interview that he had touched the man in a
sexual manner and that he did it for his own sexual gratification.
McClung, the police chief, would not provide specifics of 13 other alleged
assaults he said were confirmed through interviews with patients, family
members and a review of nursing home records.
Riems was being held in the Erie County jail on $100,000 bond. Erie County
Prosecutor Kevin Baxter said his office would determine whether other
charges would be filed once the investigation is complete.
Riems had worked at Concord since 2002.
Concord officials issued a statement last week saying that they were "as
shocked as anyone by the actions of Mr. Riems," and that he had been fired.
They have otherwise declined to comment.
Investigators from the Ohio Department of Health have been investigating
complaints against Concord that include allegations of resident abuse.
Riems worked at Fremont Memorial Hospital, about 20 miles southwest of
Sandusky, for three months in 1985 and left before finishing his orientation
period.
Spokeswoman Linda Thiel declined to comment on why he left, citing
confidentiality. There were no complaints listed on his personnel file, she
said.
Riems has the longest history at Elyria United Methodist Village, about 30
miles east of Sandusky, where he worked intermittently for nearly 20 years.
"We had no evidence or reports of any inappropriate behavior whatsoever,"
said Pam Koutsaftis, the facility's vice president of marketing. "(Riems)
was a nursing supervisor, and that position is one where he would have
minimal direct patient care or contact."
