A local woman has been arrested for a series of thefts and forgeries that victimized residents and staff at a Ruston extended care facility where she once worked.
Kenya Dontea’ West, 43, of Ruston, was arrested Wednesday by the Lincoln Parish Sheriff’s Office on a warrant charging her with numerous counts of forgery, theft, and exploitation of the infirmed.
LPSO learned the alleged incidents occurred at Ruston Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on U. S. 80 between February and May. The investigation identified approximately 30 victims, according to LPSO’s Lt. Matt Henderson.
West was booked into the Lincoln Parish Detention Center on 86 counts of theft, 86 counts of exploitation of the infirmed, and 89 counts of forgery counts. All the charges are felonies except for the misdemeanor thefts.
Louisiana law states a person convicted for exploitation of the infirmed shall be fined not more than $10,000 or imprisoned, with or without hard labor, for not more than 10 years, or both.
West’s bail for the theft charges was set at $25,000 and $75,000 each for exploitation and forgery for a total of $175,000.
This information has been provided by a law enforcement agency as public information. Persons named or shown in photographs or video as suspects in a criminal investigation, or arrested and charged with a crime, have not been convicted of any criminal offense and are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
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