How Could You? Hall of Shame-Marvie Hill and Eddie WormwoodUPDATED

This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.

From North Las Vegas, Nevada, foster parent and President of  Unity Family Services Marvie Hill, 37, who won the 2005 CASA Foundation’s outstanding caregiver award “is wanted on 20 counts of open and gross lewdness and one count of child abuse. The Clark County district attorney’s office approved the charges Tuesday. Hill was a licensed foster parent, but his license has been revoked, and all foster children have been removed from his home.

Police said on Aug. 21, a 19-year-old man told detectives that when he was in Hill’s custody as a 15-year-old in 2008, he was abused by Hill several times.

The previous year, Hill was president of United Family Transitional Homes, a nonprofit organization that ran a group halfway home for sex offenders at 3009 Colton Ave., near Cheyenne Avenue and Simmons Street in North Las Vegas.”

“According to District Court records, Hill filed a lawsuit last year against the Clark County Department of Family Services for restricting his foster care license with the intent to revoke it.  According to a July 29, 2011, Department of Family Services letter to Hill, the allegations in the complaints involved physical abuse, threats of harm, sexual abuse, neglect and lack of supervision from 2006 to 2011.

Hill has had some type of foster home license since 2006. However, Family Services officials determined at least 10 of the complaints were unsubstantiated, according to the lawsuit.

Hill’s lawsuit, which is still pending, argues that between investigators concluding misconduct had not occurred in each complaint filed against him and having his foster care home pass annual inspections, his license should be left alone.

“Spite and revenge are not a proper basis to restrict Mr. Hill’s license,” the lawsuit reads. “He is offering a valuable service to Nevada’s youth and should be allowed to continue his work.”

The Department of Family Services released a statement Wednesday regarding the allegations against Hill.

“Foster parents are called upon to care for our most vulnerable, making the alleged actions of Marvie Hill all the more horrendous” the statement read. “It is important to acknowledge, however, that the actions of one man do not characterize the many citizens who have stepped forward to fill a vital role in our community by caring for the abused and neglected children.”

All licensed foster parents in Clark County are subject to federal and local criminal background checks, including reviews in each state they have lived in for the past five years. They are subjected to a home study that evaluates the family dynamic and are required to complete at least 30 hours of training specific to the needs and issues of abused and neglected children.

Hill serves as president of Unity Family Services, Inc., a mental health and behavioral treatment foster care agency, according to the Nevada secretary of state’s website. According to the company’s website, the group deals with the “placement of children whose intensive individual needs cannot be met through regular foster care.”

PRIOR ARREST

North Las Vegas police arrested Hill July 21 on similar allegations involving a second victim, but Hill was released as part of a paperwork issue that might have been involved with the city’s jail merger with Las Vegas.

North Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Stephen Dahl said he released Hill after police submitted a report with few details to determine probable cause within 48 hours of the arrest.

“It was four lines long and had no real supporting information, and so that in my mind was not enough to establish probable cause,” Dahl said.

The next day, police sent over a more detailed report “which would have sufficed,” Dahl said. But it was too late.

“You get more or less one shot, and at the bottom of what I got the first day it said, ‘Report not complete,’ ” Dahl said. “They didn’t have to submit it. They were only 24 hours in. … It’s unfortunate because there was more information. But once it’s submitted, and you don’t find probable cause, it’s not like they can come back the next day.”

Hill is a black man just over 6 feet tall and weighing about 215 pounds. He has brown hair and eyes. Police said he frequents the area of Craig Road and Commerce Street. He probably is still in the Las Vegas Valley, police said.

Anyone with information on Hill’s whereabouts is urged to call North Las Vegas police at 702-633-9111 or Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555.”

Police search for foster parent accused of abusing foster child

[Las Vegas Review-Journal 8/29/12 by Kristi Jourdan]

Arrest warrant issued for North Las Vegas man accused of abusing foster child

[Las Vegas Review-Journal 8/28/12]

“One whistle blower, who asked not to be identified, says he worked for a brief time at Unity Family Services. The organization in North Las Vegas deals with social services, including those for foster children. Marvie Lee Hill is listed as the president and CEO.

“There were a lot of improprieties when it came to documentation of paperwork, staying on top of paperwork, recording paperwork frequently, it just didn’t happen,” said “Ryan”, former employee of Unity Family Services.

“Ryan” says the industry can be riddled with fraud. He saw practices that he says made him uncomfortable.

“There are some people out there who have these agencies that do it the right way, and there are some agencies that don’t do it the right way and Unity Family Services was one of those agencies that doesn’t do it the right way,” adds “Ryan”.

The worker says concerns voiced to management fell on deaf ears, so he went to the attorney general’s office. An official with the attorney general’s office would neither confirm nor deny a criminal investigation is ongoing.”

More Victims Possible in Foster Parent Abuse Case

[8 news Now 8/30/12 by Joe Bartels]

REFORM Puzzle Pieces

 

Update: “The 37-year-old man wanted in an abuse case involving foster children has agreed to appear in court Friday [August 31, 2012], according to the North Las Vegas Police Department.

In a statement released by the police, Marvie Hill is suspected of abusing at least three victims, who provided detectives evidence that other victims exist. Some are reluctant to report the abuse, according to the police.

Hill was wanted on 20 counts of open and gross lewdness and one count of child abuse.

Hill’s attorney arranged with the North Las Vegas Justice Center for Hill to appear in court on Friday and then be released on $40,000 bond, which has already been posted. The warrant for Hill has been quashed, the police said.

Hill was a licensed foster parent for the Nevada Department of Family Services for an undisclosed number of years. His license has since been revoked.

The potential victims appear to be males who were placed in foster care where Hill had access to and control over them. Detectives are asking anyone who was in Hill’s care when they were children, regardless if they were abused, to contact the police department.

Anyone with information regarding this case is urged to call the North Las Vegas Police Department at 702-633-9111 or, to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 702-385-5555. Tips leading to an arrest or an indictment called into Crime Stoppers may result in a cash reward.”

Man Wanted in Foster Care Abuse Case Found

[8 News Now 8/30/12 by Nicole Benson]

The “20 counts of open and gross lewdness [include] five counts of lewdness with a minor under 14; one count of sexual assault, victim under 14; and one count of child abuse.”

North Las Vegas foster parent faces more abuse allegations

[Las Vegas Review-Journal 8/30/12 by Kristi Jourdan]

“His foster daughter says the allegations are simply not true. Renika Curry was 13 when she was placed in her foster father’s care.

“I think they (the allegations) are made up and trying to hurt him. I’m hurting, because I don’t want to see him hurt,” said Curry. “To hear something like this, it just really breaks my heart – to see him going through something like this, because he’s not capable of doing those things. I just want everyone to know he’s not the monster everyone is trying to portray.”

North Las Vegas Police have mounting evidence against Hill and have been working around the clock with former foster children. Most of them are young adults now coming forward with abuse allegations.

Investigators reopened a previous case that was dismissed by a judge last month after another victim came forward. There are now three alleged victims in this case. The victims that have come forward provided information to police that suggests other children may have been abused.

“Since we put Mr. Hill’s photograph out earlier in the week, we’ve had a number of calls with multiple detectives working on this,” said North Las Vegas Police Sgt. Tim Bedwell. “We believe there are potentially other victims – some of them possibly reluctant to come forward because these were things that happened in their mid teens, and now they are young adults trying to go on with their lives.”

Child experts say it’s common for kids – especially those who have been abused – to come forward years later when they feel safe enough to face what happened.

“When a child has been in an experience of being sexually abused, there is so much shame and guilt involved with that that it’s very difficult for them – not to just talk to someone about it, but to even acknowledge that it’s going on,” said marriage and family therapist Donna Wilburn.

Renika, meanwhile, says she will be there for the man she considers her father. “This is just out of his character. This is not something he does,” she said.”

Foster Daughter Defends Lewdness Suspect

[8 News Now 8/30/12 by Joe Bartels]

“George Simpson III, 17, says he knows hill as a man who cared for him and his foster brothers and sisters.
Hill’s foster children say they will be with him every step of the way.”

Several foster children defend NLV man accused of abuse

[My News 3 8/31/12 by Rob Munoz]

Update 2: On Tuesday, September 4, 2012, Hill , free on $40,000 bond, “showed up to court this morning with dozens of supporters by his side.
According to police, more than one person has come forward saying Hill abused them as foster kids while in his care.
Investigators say there may be more victims. But Hill’s co-workers say they believe the accusations are false.
Hill’s preliminary hearing has been set for Oct. 22. ”

Foster parent accused of abuse has hearing in NLV court

[My News 3 9/4/12]

“The attorney representing Marvie Hill, the foster parent North Las Vegas police accuse of abusing multiple children in his care, said Tuesday there are witnesses who can testify that those making the allegations are “making up the facts.”

“We firmly believe there is evidence to show our clients are absolutely innocent,” attorney Bret Whipple said. “We feel very comfortable with going to trial and bringing the facts to a jury for an acquittal.”

The comments came after Hill and his business partner, Eddie Wormwood, appeared Tuesday in North Las Vegas Justice Court. A preliminary hearing was set for Oct. 22.

Hill faces 20 counts of open and gross lewdness; five counts of lewdness with a minor under 14; one count of sexual assault, victim under 14; and one count of child abuse. The felony charges involve two victims.

Wormwood faces 10 felony counts of sexual assault, victim under 14.

Both Hill and Wormwood were arrested July 21 on similar allegations and released because of a paperwork issue.

About a dozen supporters filled the courtroom.

Police said that on Aug. 21, a 19-year-old man told detectives that when he was in Hill’s custody as a 15-year-old in 2008, he was abused several times by Hill. According to the criminal complaints, Hill and Wormwood  assaulted children orally and anally between 2005 and 2011.

Additional complaints about Hill have been made to police. They involve male foster children who were placed in his care. Police said another possible victim has come forward, bringing the total to three. Sgt. Tim Bedwell, police spokesman, said the department is reopening all old cases involving similar allegations from “at least a handful of different victims” involving Hill and Wormwood.

“We have prior, similar allegations that, taken alone at the time, we didn’t have sufficient evidence to do prosecutions on,” Bedwell said. “In light of all evidence coming forward now, we need to look to see if they’re legitimate and need to be prosecuted.”

Angele Morgan is a therapist with Red Rock Psychological Counseling, an outpatient clinic that specializes in treating victims of abuse, including patients referred by the Clark County Department of Family Services. In general, Morgan said children who wait years to report sexual abuse are embarrassed and worry about the consequences of telling someone.

“A lot of it goes into grooming from the actual abuser himself in getting children not to report,” Morgan said. “That’s a piece that people overlook in general, preparing for them not to disclose, convincing them that you’re the one who instigated it, convincing them it was partly their fault. Sometimes it can be negative grooming by calling them names. A lot of times they do convince the children they’re part of the problem.”

Hill is president of United Family Services, Inc., a mental health and behavioral treatment foster care agency. According to the company’s website, the group deals with the “placement of children whose intensive individual needs cannot be met through regular foster care.”

Hill and Wormwood worked for United Family Transitional Homes, a nonprofit that ran a group halfway home for sex offenders. The home, near Cheyenne Avenue and Simmons Street, opened in 2005 and closed two years later. It housed as many as eight sex offenders convicted on a variety of charges, including statutory sexual seduction and sexual assault on a victim under 16.

Complaints from neighbors and city officials prompted state officials to move the offenders.

Family Services has suspended Hill’s license and removed all children from his home.

Hill filed a District Court lawsuit last year against Family Services for restricting his foster care license with the intent to revoke it after more than a dozen complaints about his care, including allegations of physical abuse, threats of harm, sexual abuse and neglect.”

Defense attorney: Evidence will clear North Las Vegas foster parent accused of abuse

[Las Vegas Review-Journal 9/4/12 by Kristi Jourdan]

Update 3: “Marvie Hill, the man accused of abusing at least two of his foster children, is due back in court today.
The last time Hill was in court, he had a swarm of supporters, including former foster children.
Today is expected to be no different, regardless of the heinous crimes he’s accused of.
The 37-year-old was arrested over the summer, accused by at least two men of inappropriate conduct while they lived in his foster home as minors.
Hill’s business partner, Eddie Woomwood, also was arrested, accused of the same crimes by another man.
Both were released because of an issue with paper work and made their first court appearance in early September.
Hill posted a $40,000 dollar bond; wormwood was released without bail.
The two ran a number of mental health group homes across the valley serving troubled youths.
According to the criminal complaints, hill and wormwood assaulted children between 2005 and 2011.
Additional complaints about hill have been made to police involving male foster children who were placed in his care.
Police said another possible victim has come forward, bringing the total to three.
North Las Vegas police say they are reopening all old cases involving similar allegations from at least a handful of different victims involving hill and wormwood.
They say at the time there was not enough sufficient evidence to prosecute. But with the new allegations they are revisiting those cases.
Hill has been stripped of his license to care for kids until the investigation is complete. ”

Foster care parent accused of abuse to return to court

[My News 3 NBC 10/22/12 by Michelle Velez]

“The foster father accused of sexually abusing at least two of foster children will be in court tomorrow.
Today his accusers took the stand. News 3’s Marissa Mike is live in the newsroom.
There was some very sensitive testimony in the courtroom today.
The testimony was so sensitive the judge called for everyone, including family members and the media, to leave the courtroom before Marvie Hill’s accusers took the stand. News 3 talked to someone who stayed in the courtroom as the accusers’ testified.
The details were very graphic. News 3 was told that one of the questions asked of the accuser — how many times was he victimized?
The accusers’ said there were too many times to count.
Dozens upon dozens of people showed up to show support for 37-year-old Hill.
North Las Vegas police say at least two people claim Hill took advantage of them when they were foster kids in Hill’s care.
The accusers say the abuse happened from 2005 to 2011.
Hill’s business partner Eddie Wormwood is also accused of similar crimes by one of Hill’s foster kids. On Monday Hill and Wormwood appeared side-by-side as they entered a packed courtroom.
But, it was Hill’s family members who chose to speak to News 3 today.
Hill’s brother Coleman Harris defends Hill and Wormwood as public servants who would never commit sexual misconduct with a minor.  ”

Marvie Hill accusers take stand in child abuse case

[My News 3 NBC 10/22/12 by Michelle Velez]

Update 4: “In the second day of the preliminary hearing, witnesses testified in North Las Vegas Justice Court that the two accusers, Joseph Lewellyn and Robert Hill, said they were going to falsely accuse Hill, 37, and Wormwood, 44.

Rayanne Belafonte, Lewellyn’s sister, said she heard her brother say “he was going to lie that he had sex with Marvie and cheat him out of his money.” She added that he told her there would be “consequences” if she talked to Hill or testified.

Clad in a black suit with his braids pulled into a bun, Hill bobbed his leg nervously during the two hours of witness testimony. Wormwood was more reserved with a concerned expression. Dozens of supporters watched the proceeding or waited in the courtroom lobby. Hill kissed, hugged and shook hands with all of them.

Defense attorneys Bret Whipple and David Otto painted Lewellyn as bitter and angry about his conviction in June of Medicaid fraud, and highlighted that “only 10 minutes” of his five-hour testimony on Monday included allegations of sexual abuse.

That testimony was not heard by the public as Chief Judge Natalie Tyrrell cleared the courtroom Monday, citing a law that gives the judge authority to exclude certain people from the courtroom if good cause exists. However, the names of the accusers, Lewellyn and Hill, later appeared in online public records.

“He’s a felon, a criminal, and blames it on someone else,” Whipple said.

He added that Lewellyn was upset that Hill and Wormwood did not help during his Medicaid fraud trial.

But prosecutor Christopher Pandelis said he heard “no contention of the charges,” and explained Lewellyn’s emotional testimony stemmed from his being sexually abused.

One of Hill’s former foster children, Klysmann Vasquez, cried as he told the court about falsely accusing Hill of making sexual advances around 2008 to get out of the home and be with his family. Vasquez said he apologized to Hill and his family.

Vasquez said he told accuser Robert Hill about the plan and Hill said “if it worked for you it can work for me.”

“This man did everything for me,” Vasquez said of Marvie Hill. “He treated me better than my family.”

In the Lewellyn case, Hill faces two counts of sexual assault with a minor under 14; two counts of sexual assault with a minor under 16; five counts of lewdness with a minor; and five counts of open and gross lewdness. Wormwood faces four counts of sexual assault with a minor under 14 and five counts of sexual assault with a minor under 16.

Tyrrell, the judge, will decide Wednesday whether to send the case to trial.

The Robert Hill case was bound over to Clark County District Court. In that case, Marvie Hill faces 20 counts of open and gross lewdness and one count of child abuse. He is scheduled to be arraigned Nov. 6.

Police said that on Aug. 21, a 19-year-old man told detectives that while in Hill’s custody as a 15-year-old in 2008, he was abused by Hill. According to the criminal complaints, Hill and Wormwood assaulted children orally and anally between 2005 and 2011.

Additional complaints about Hill have been made to police involving male foster children in his care. North Las Vegas police reopened all old cases involving similar allegations against Hill and Wormwood.

Both Hill and Wormwood were arrested July 21 on similar allegations and released because of a paperwork issue.

Hill is president of Unity Family Services Inc., a mental health and behavioral treatment foster care agency.

The Clark County Department of Family Services suspended Hill’s license and removed all children from his home.

Hill filed a District Court lawsuit last year against Family Services for restricting his foster care license with the intent to revoke it after more than a dozen complaints about his care, including allegations of physical abuse, threats of harm, sexual abuse and neglect.”

Sister says accuser planned false allegations against foster parent

[Las Vegas Review-Journal 10/23/12 by Kristi Jourdan]

Update 5: “The sexual abuse case against former foster parent Marvie Hill and business partner Eddie Wormwood is heading to Clark County District Court.

North Las Vegas Justice Court Chief Judge Natalie Tyrrell decided Wednesday that there was enough evidence presented in the three-day preliminary hearing to send the case to trial.

Hill, 37, faces two counts of sexual assault with a minor under 14; two counts of sexual assault with a minor under 16; five counts of lewdness with a minor; and five counts of open and gross lewdness. Wormwood, 44, faces four counts of sexual assault with a minor under 14 and five counts of sexual assault with a minor under 16.

The men face similar charges in a second case, which was also bound over earlier this week to District Court.

Hill and Wormwood are scheduled to be arraigned on both cases Nov. 6.”

http://www.lvrj.com/news/foster-parent-to-stand-trial-in-sexual-abuse-cases-175642501.html

[Las Vegas Review-Journal 10/24/12 by Kristi Jourdan]

Update 6:”A North Las Vegas behavioral health services company pleaded guilty on Monday to felony Medicaid fraud, while the company’s owners await trial on sexual assault and child abuse charges in separate cases.

Unity Family Services, as part of a plea deal, was ordered to pay $900,000 in restitution, including $100,000 for investigation and prosecution costs, by Judge Elissa Cadish.

State prosecutors said Unity Family Services, run by Marvie Hill and Eddie Wormwood, were billing for services that were never given. Unity Family Services submitted fraudulent claims using ID numbers of 79 different Medicaid recipients, according to the criminal complaint.

“Unconscionable,” is what Nevada Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto called the company’s billing practices in a prepared statement. The “billing practices of this company highlight the damage caused to Medicaid by provider fraud. Corporations, like individuals, must be held to answer when their profits are derived by the theft of taxpayer dollars,” Cortez Masto said.

The attorney general’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit began investigating Unity Family Services in August 2009, after the fraud unit received a tip that the company had used Medicaid funds to treat people other than the intended recipient.

Unity Family Services was contracted to provide mental health services, therapy and medication to people receiving Medicaid.

Medicaid budgets particular amounts of time and money for treatment to recipients, and Unity Family Services was billing Medicaid based on those allotments, rather than actual treatments, the attorney general’s office said. Prosecutors said the fraud occurred from January 2010 through July 2012.

The company appeared to still have an active business license, according to the Nevada Secretary of State’s website. However, the Unity Family Services website was no longer working and an active phone number could not be found.

The company’s lawyer, David Otto, did not immediately return a call requesting comment.

Following a Medicaid fraud conviction, a company and its owners are excluded from Medicaid participation.

Meanwhile, Hill, 38, and Wormwood, 45, are set to stand trial Feb. 3 on charges they sexually assaulted one of Hill’s foster children. Hill faces two felony counts each of sexual assault with a minor under 14 and sexual assault with a minor under 16 and five counts each of lewdness with a minor under 14, a felony, and open and gross lewdness, a gross misdemeanor.

Wormwood faces four counts of sexual assault with a minor under 14 and five counts of sexual assault with a minor under 16, both felonies.

Hill’s defense lawyer, Bret Whipple, said the victim in the case was “very bitter” toward Hill and Wormwood following the victim’s own arrest and conviction in a Medicaid fraud case. The victim blamed Hill and Wormwood for not saving him from his own criminal mistakes, Whipple said.

Wormwood is represented by Otto in the case.

Hill also faces charges in a separate case with one count of felony child abuse and 20 counts of open and gross lewdness, a gross misdemeanor. The victim in that case was also a foster child of Hill’s, before Hill adopted him.

Hill is set to stand trial in that case March 17.

Both victims are now adults. The Review-Journal generally does not publish the names of sexual assault victims.

The Clark County Department of Family Services suspended Hill’s foster care license and removed all children from his home following more than a dozen complaints about his care.

According to a July 29, 2011, letter from the department to Hill, the complaints involved allegations of physical abuse, threats of harm, sexual abuse and neglect and a lack of supervision from 2006 to 2011.

Hill filed a lawsuit against Department of Family Services to keep his license, but lost his bid when a judge dismissed the case in February.

Hill and Wormwood also once ran United Family Transitional Homes, a nonprofit that ran a group halfway home for sex offenders. That company’s business license was permanently revoked, according to the Secretary of State’s web site.”

North Las Vegas company, owned by two facing sexual assault charges, convicted of Medicaid fraudLas Vegas Review-Journal 11/18/13 by Francis McCabe]

A search on Las Vegas court records show that Marvie had “DEFENDANT TO PAY $13,848.00 RESTITUTION TO BAD CHECK UNIT TRANSFER UPON RECEIPT- per state as of 5/14/14- $9,348 balance- Due)”

Update 7:”The former owner of a North Las Vegas behavioral health services company was convicted Monday of child abuse and lewdness with his adopted son and acquitted of sexual assault charges relating to his foster son.

Marvie Hill faced 27 counts, including open and gross lewdness, child abuse and sexual assault with a minor. He was acquitted of four counts of sexual assault, the most serious charges levied against him, along with 10 counts of open and gross lewdness.

Prosecutors had alleged that starting in 2006, Hill abused his 13-year-old foster son.

His lawyer, Bret Whipple, said “I’m relieved that he was acquitted of all the serious charges.”

Hill was convicted of one count of sexually motivated child abuse, a felony that carries a sentence of up to 20 years in prison, along with 12 counts of open and gross lewdness, gross misdemeanor charges, against his adopted son.

Prosecutor Michelle Fleck said Hill’s relationship with the boys was “complex” and lasted into their adulthood.

“We just believe the jury found there was reasonable doubt” in the sexual assault allegations, Fleck said.

Whipple said child protective services workers investigated the allegations involving Hill’s adopted son in 2008 and found them to be unsubstantiated.

Hill and Eddie Wormwood, who ran the behavioral health firm Unity Family Services, were both charged in 2012 with sexually assault of the foster child.

Hill became a foster parent in 2005 and later earned a license to run a specialized group home where he looked after as many as 15 boys at a time, according to Fleck.

The prosecutor said another boy also made allegations of abuse in 2008 but later recanted.

Last year, Unity Family Services pleaded guilty to felony Medicaid fraud for billing for services that were never given. A judge ordered the owners to pay $900,000 in restitution.

The Clark County Department of Family Services stopped placing children in Hill’s home in 2011 after receiving several complaints and Hill violated licensing regulations, Fleck said. All the children were removed from his home after criminal charges were filed.

Wormwood, who faces nine counts of sexual assault with a minor, was awaiting trial.”

Jury acquits man of sexually assaulting foster child[Las Vegas Review Journal 11/17/14 by David Ferrara]

Update 8: “The former owner of a North Las Vegas behavioral health services company was sentenced Thursday to four to six years on child abuse and lewdness charges for encounters with his adopted son.

A jury in November acquitted Marvie Hill of sexual assault charges relating to his foster son.

Marvie Hill originally faced 27 counts, including open and gross lewdness, child abuse and sexual assault with a minor. He was acquitted of four counts of sexual assault, the most serious charges levied against him, along with 10 counts of open and gross lewdness.

Just before being sentenced, Hill told District Judge Michael Villani that he was “still proclaiming my innocence.”

Prosecutors had alleged that starting in 2006, Hill abused his 13-year-old foster son.

“There was so much filth going on in this house,” prosecutor Michelle Fleck said. “It was so extensive.”

His lawyer, Bret Whipple, had asked the judge to sentence Hill to probation, saying the prosecutor exaggerated the conditions at the home.

Fleck said Hill’s relationship with the boys was “complex” and lasted into their adulthood.

Hill was convicted of one count of sexually motivated child abuse, a felony, along with 12 counts of open and gross lewdness, gross misdemeanor charges, against his adopted son.

Whipple said child protective services workers investigated the allegations involving Hill’s adopted son in 2008 and found them to be unsubstantiated.

Hill and Eddie Wormwood, who ran the behavioral health firm Unity Family Services, were both charged in 2012 with sexually assault of the foster child. After Hill’s trial, prosecutors dropped sexual assault charges against Wormwood.

Hill became a foster parent in 2005 and later earned a license to run a specialized group home where he looked after as many as 15 boys at a time, according to Fleck.

Last year, Unity Family Services pleaded guilty to felony Medicaid fraud for billing for services that were never given. A judge ordered the owners to pay $900,000 in restitution.

The Clark County Department of Family Services stopped placing children in Hill’s home in 2011 after receiving several complaints and Hill violated licensing regulations, Fleck said. All the children were removed from his home after criminal charges were filed.”

Former foster parent gets prison in sex abuse case[Las Vegas Review-Journal 3/26/14 by David Ferrara]