K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For September 27th, 2018 – Morning

A PSYCHOLOGIST AND HIS WIFE PLEADED GUILTY IN FEDERAL COURT ON TUESDAY TO BILLING WYOMING MEDICAID $6.2 MILLION FOR PURPORTED MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES SUCH AS KARAOKE AND SHOPPING.

THE WYOMING U.S. ATTORNEY AND COURT RECORDS SAY DR. JOHN SINK, JR., AND HIS WIFE DIANE SINK EACH ENTERED PLEAS TO "FALSE STATEMENTS IN RELATION TO HEALTH CARE AND AID AND ABET" BEFORE JUDGE ALAN JOHNSON IN CHEYENNE.

IN EXCHANGE FOR THEIR PLEAS, FEDERAL PROSECUTORS WILL DISMISS ONE COUNT OF "HEALTH CARE FRAUD CONSPIRACY" AND TWO COUNTS OF MONEY LAUNDERING AT THEIR SENTENCINGS ON DECEMBER 4.

THEY FACE UP TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON AND QUARTER-MILLION DOLLAR FINES, THE SEIZURE OF ASSETS RELATED TO THE FRAUD, AND POSSIBLE RESTITUTION.

THEY ARE FREE ON BOND.

THE SINKS OPERATED A PSYCHOLOGICAL PRACTICE IN CHEYENNE, AND DIANE SINK WAS THE OWNER OF THE PRACTICE.

FROM FEBRUARY 2012 TO DECEMBER 2016, THEY SUBMITTED MORE THAN $6.2 MILLION IN BILLS TO WYOMING MEDICAID FOR ALLEGED GROUP THERAPY, BUT THE THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITIES DID NOT QUALIFY UNDER MEDICAID, THE JOINT FEDERAL-STATE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM FOR THE POOR.

THEIR THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITES INCLUDED COLORING, PLAYING GAMES, SINGING KARAOKE, EATING AT RESTAURANTS AND SHOPPING.

THEY ALSO SUBMITTED FALSELY BACKDATED TREATMENT PLANS WHEN THE PROGRAM AUDITED THE THEIR BUSINESS IN MAY 2016.

WYOMING U.S. ATTORNEY MARK KLAASSEN SAID HEALTH CARE FRAUD HARMS EVERYONE THROUGH HIGHER TAXES AND INSURANCE PREMIUMS.
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CASPER, WYO. (AP) - THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING IS LOOKING INTO WHETHER A CAMPAIGN AD FOR AN ARIZONA CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATE VIOLATED THE SCHOOL'S FILMING POLICY.

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POLICE HAVE DETERMINED THAT CHEYENNE ANIMAL SHELTER PRESIDENT AND CEO BOB FECHT (FECKT) AND EMPLOYEES ERIC SMALE (SMAIL) AND RYAN JOHNSON COMMITTED ANIMAL ABUSE BY PEPPER SPRAYING A DOG AFTER IT BIT AN EMPLOYEE.

THE PEPPER SPRAYING OCCURRED ON SEPT. 5, A DAY AFTER THE SHELTER DOG -- AN 80 POUND PIT BULL NAMED TANNER -- ATTACKED EMPLOYEE MARISSA COX. THE DOG WAS EUTHANIZED ON SEPT. 6.​

OFFICER KEVIN MALATESTA SAYS DETECTIVES COMPLETED A THOROUGH INVESTIGATION AND CONCLUDED THAT THE THREE COMMITTED ANIMAL ABUSE BY TORMENTING TANNER UNNECESSARILY.

"SO WE HAVE RECOMMENDED THAT CHARGES BE FILED IN THIS CASE. WE'VE SUBMITTED AFFIDAVITS OF PROBABLE CAUSE ON THOSE THREE INDIVIDUALS TO THE LARAMIE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. WE'VE SEEN FROM SOME FOLKS IN THE COMMUNITY PUSHING FOR A FELONY ANIMAL ABUSE CHARGE ON THIS AND AS WE OUTLINED IN OUR PRESS RELEASE THERE'S REALLY NO EVIDENCE THAT WE SEE THAT SUCH A CRIME OCCURRED."

THE SHELTER BOARD VOTED SEPT. 17 TO SUSPEND FECHT FOR 60 DAYS WITHOUT PAY. SINCE THEN, TWO BOARD MEMBERS HAVE RESIGNED.

FECHT SAID IN A STATEMENT THAT HE DID NOT INTEND TO HURT TANNER, NOTING THAT HE MADE A "PERSONAL AND EMOTIONAL" DECISION TO ORDER THE PEPPER SPRAYING.
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CHEYENNE, WYO. (AP) - A WILDFIRE IN WYOMING HAS DESTROYED OVER 40 HOMES, AND FIREFIGHTERS HAVE CLOSED A HIGHWAY WHILE THEY SET THEIR OWN FIRES TO TRY TO STOP THE MAIN FIRE'S SPREAD. SOME OF THE HOMES BURNED SUNDAY. BUT SHERIFF'S OFFICIALS WEREN'T IMMEDIATELY ABLE TO GET CLOSE TO ASSESS THE DAMAGE IN A SUBDIVISION OF WIDELY SPACED MOUNTAIN RETREATS. AS OF WEDNESDAY, AUTHORITIES CONTINUED TO ASSESS DAMAGE IN THE HOBACK RANCHES DEVELOPMENT NEAR BONDURANT IN WESTERN WYOMING.