Thu, Nov 26 2009
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Published October 19, 2009 09:34 pm - Additional federal criminal charges are expected to be filed against the former owner of an Anderson group home where a fire in 2006 ultimately took the lives of 11 people. The defense attorney for Robert J. DuPont Jr., 65, whose connection with the Anderson Guest House is the crux of the existing federal charges, last week sought a continuance in DuPont’s upcoming trial. In that same motion, attorney Stuart Huffman, of Springfield, noted that “additional counts will be filed” against DuPont, according to court documents. Court records: Federal counts expected against ex-group home owner By Derek Spellman dspellman@joplinglobe.com Additional federal criminal charges are expected to be filed against the former owner of an Anderson group home where a fire in 2006 ultimately took the lives of 11 people. The defense attorney for Robert J. DuPont Jr., 65, whose connection with the Anderson Guest House is the crux of the existing federal charges, last week sought a continuance in DuPont’s upcoming trial. In that same motion, attorney Stuart Huffman, of Springfield, noted that “additional counts will be filed” against DuPont, according to court documents. Huffman’s continuance motion, which was granted, did not elaborate on specific charges or when they would be filed. A Globe phone message left for Huffman at his office on Monday was not returned. Don Ledford, a spokesman for the U.S attorney for Missouri’s Western District, declined comment, saying it is a U.S. Justice Department policy not to comment on pending investigations or charges. Charges on file A superseding indictment filed in April 2008 leveled 18 charges against DuPont, including multiple counts of health care fraud and money laundering. Federal authorities have accused DuPont of playing a central role in the operation of the now-defunct Joplin River of Life Ministries, a nonprofit organization that operated the Anderson Guest House until it was destroyed by the fire in November 2006. Also charged in last year’s superseding indictment were DuPont’s wife, LaVerne DuPont, 73, and Robert DuPont’s stepdaughter, Kelly A. Wheeler, formerly Kelley Liveoak, 46, of Webb City. All three were connected in some way to Joplin River of Life Ministries, which originally was a co-defendant in the federal indictment. Charges against the company itself were dismissed last week by federal prosecutors. LaVerne DuPont is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud and one count of health care fraud. Wheeler in August pleaded guilty to a federal charge of theft of public money in connection with her work with Joplin River of Life Ministries. The charges against all three hinge on accusations that Robert DuPont continued running several group homes, including the Anderson Guest House, between 2003 and 2006 despite a previous conviction for Medicare and Medicaid fraud. Joplin River of Life Ministries received about $725,000 in Medicaid reimbursements during that three-year stretch. Federal and state law prohibit individuals who are convicted of crimes related to Medicaid and Medicare programs from acting as operators of licensed Medicaid providers or from participating in any federal health care program. 
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