Lakeland Woman’s Nursing Assistant’s Certificate Suspended in Connection With Identity Theft
Lakeland Woman’s Nursing Assistant’s Certificate Suspended in Connection With Identity Theft
WINTER HAVEN | The Florida Department of Health has suspended the certificate of a certified nursing assistant who formerly worked at Palm Garden of Winter Haven after learning she pleaded no contest this spring to fraudulent use of personal information.
Portia Charlton, who lived in Lakeland, was arrested on May 24, 2013, and accused of using personal information of 13 nursing home residents to file fraudulent income tax returns, the department said.
She became a suspect through a Polk County Sheriff’s Office investigation into tax fraud in 2012.
An arrest warrant also was issued for her father, Norman Charlton, who in October 2013 was indicted by a federal grand jury on 13 charges related to a tax fraud conspiracy that brought in more than $300,000, officials said.
The father-daughter duo were accused of being in an identity-theft ring.
Previous Ledger articles said deputies searched their home and found a notebook listing names, birth dates and Social Security numbers of more than 100 people.
Portia Charlton entered no contest pleas in March 2014 and was adjudicated guilty of seven counts of fraudulent use of personal identification, a third-degree felony, according to the emergency suspension order.
The Health Department will seek formal suspension or discipline against her certificate to practice in Florida.
Norman Charlton pleaded guilty in March 2014 to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, theft of government property and aggravated identity theft, The Ledger reported.
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