Jackson, MS—Two people have been indicted by a Warren County Grand Jury for conspiracy and exploitation of a vulnerable person, announced Attorney General Jim Hood today.

Angela Palmer, age 44, of Vicksburg stands indicted on one count of conspiracy and four counts of exploitation of a vulnerable person.  Palmer is alleged to have taken more than $6,700 from an elderly relative who was a patient at Vicksburg Convalescent Center at the time the crimes are alleged to have been committed.  The indictment further charges Palmer with conspiring with co-defendant Lee Martin, age 38, of Vicksburg, who was the business office coordinator for both Vicksburg Convalescent Center and Shady Lawn Health and Rehab.  Martin has been charged with 29 counts of exploitation of a vulnerable person and one count of conspiracy. Martin is alleged to have taken more than $101,000 from vulnerable persons at both facilities.

Trial is currently set for April 1, 2013.

If convicted, Palmer faces up to 45 years in prison and $40,000 in fines, while Martin faces up to 295 years in prison and $300,000 in fines.  As in all cases, the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

These cases were investigated by Investigators Wayne Lynch, David Delgado and David Flowers, as well Teresa Matthew who is an auditor in the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Special Assistant Attorney General Sue Perry is prosecuting both cases.