A former employee of a Salt Lake City nursing home is accused of sexually abusing an elderly patient with Alzheimer's Disease.
Clifford Ray Holt, 38, was charged Wednesday in 3rd District Court with one count of second-degree felony forcible sexual abuse in connection with fondling a 62-year-old resident of Hillside Rehabilitation Center.
Holt, a dishwasher at the center, allegedly led the woman into a room, told her "this is my place" and started massaging her shoulders once the door to the room was closed, according to charges. He then grabbed the woman's breast aggressively enough to cause a bruise, charges state.
The woman, who has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, was able to report the incident.
Warren Walker, an administrator at Hillside, said Wednesday that the facility is conducting its own investigation. According to its Web site, Hillside, 1216 E. 1300 South, specializes in patients with "medical, physical rehabilitation and dementia care needs."
Walker said the incident with the 62-year-old occurred "several months ago" and that Holt no longer works there.
"As an organization, we take all allegations very seriously. We do all the investigations that we can," Walker said.
Court records show Holt pleaded guilty to burglary of a vehicle, a Class a misdemeanor, in March 2006, and was sentenced to serve a year in prison. He also pleaded guilty to burglary of a vehicle in 1997 and 1999.
It's unclear whether Hillside knew about Holt's criminal past when he was hired.
Holt is in the custody of the Utah Department of Corrections for violating parole while he awaits trial for the sex abuse case. His bail is set at $75,000.
