Whitehall Resident Charged with Stealing from another Care Home

United States Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan announced today that Kenneth C. Gerst, Jr., a resident of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been indicted by a federal grand jury in Pittsburgh on a charge of theft from an organization receiving federal funds.

The one-count indictment named Gerst, age 46, as the sole defendant.

According to the indictment, from in and around April 2007, through in and around March 2008, Gerst, while employed by Weiblinger’s Residential Care Inc. (WRCI) of Bridgeville, Pennsylvania as its Fiscal Director, embezzled more than $5,000 from the company. At the time, WRCI was receiving benefits under federal programs through the United States Department of Health and Human Services. Gerst is presently serving a prison sentence on his conviction in federal court in October 2007, for similar conduct involving his theft of more than $450,000 from Family Hospice and Palliative Care in Pittsburgh.

Assistant United States Attorney Luke E. Dembosky, who presented the case to the grand jury, indicated that the law provides for a maximum total sentence of 10 years in prison, a fine of $250,000, or both. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the actual sentence imposed would be based upon the seriousness of the offense and the prior criminal history, if any, of the defendant.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation conducted the investigation leading to the indictment in this case.

An indictment is only a charge and is not evidence of guilt. A defendant is presumed innocent and is entitled to a fair trial at which the government must prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.