OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Neighbors say they were shocked to learn a home in their community was allegedly being operated as an unlicensed assisted living facility after an Osceola County Sheriff’s Office investigation led to the arrests of two people.
Investigators said 56-year-old Marie Carenan and 60-year-old Ronald Pack had been running multiple assisted living facilities for several years without the required licenses.
According to the Osceola County Property Appraiser’s Office, one of the nine homes identified in the investigation is owned by Pack.
The arrest affidavit states that investigators found padlocks on doors, leaks in the ceiling, and other issues during their inspection of one of the homes.
A neighbor who lives across the street said residents deserved better care.
“I ain’t OK because it should be proper care. I don’t think that house is for that reason. That’s why you got places like that. So I don’t think that should have been right,” said neighbor Cruz Monge.
The sheriff’s office said 38 patients were removed from three locations this week as part of the investigation. Osceola County Sheriff Chris Blackmon said additional charges could be filed.
The arrest affidavit also provides new details about how some residents allegedly ended up in the homes.
Several medical providers are mentioned in the report, including Park Place Behavioral Health Care, University Behavioral Center, and HCA Florida Poinciana Hospital. The affidavit also names the Florida Assertive Community Treatment team based in Kissimmee.
According to the affidavit, the Florida Assertive Community Treatment team met with investigators in November and confirmed several of its patients were living in the suspects’ homes. The report states the team told investigators it had been sending patients to the homes for several years and, at the time, had nine patients living across the facilities.
The affidavit also states that staff told investigators they had experienced problems with Pack and eventually banned him from coming to their office.
According to the report, staff also said they were concerned after Carenan allegedly refused to call law enforcement when a resident went missing. The affidavit states they told investigators those concerns were never reported to police.
Pack and Carenan are charged with aggravated elder abuse, elder neglect, welfare fraud, and other offenses. Officials said they could face up to 105 years in prison if convicted.
Both remain in the Osceola County Jail awaiting a pretrial detention hearing, where a judge will decide whether they will remain in custody while awaiting trial.
Channel 9 reached out to the Florida Assertive Community Treatment team on Saturday. A representative told us to call back on Monday to speak to someone in the administration.
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