FAYETTEVILLE — A local doctor and three of the seven other people charged in federal court with using drugs, threats and violence to hold patients against their will in a yearslong scheme to defraud health insurers were arraigned in U.S. District Court in Fayetteville on Wednesday.
Brian Hyatt, 53, was arrested Saturday on a federal warrant accusing him of engaging in a kidnapping conspiracy from 2018 through May 2022 at the Northwest Medical Center Behavioral Health Unit in Springdale.
A federal grand jury indicted Hyatt along with:
• Devon Talbert, 50, an advanced practice registered nurse.
• Lindsey Hess Goucher, 40, an advanced practice registered nurse.
• Miranda Newburn, 43, a registered nurse and former director of the behavioral unit.
• Robert Green, 35, former admissions and assessment referral coordinator at the behavioral unit.
• Georgette “Gigi” Rice, 58, a former mental health tech.
• Owen Benjamin, 29, a former mental health tech.
• Collyn Harlan, 31, a former mental health tech.
Hyatt and his seven associates are accused of kidnapping. If convicted, they face a maximum sentence of life in prison and up to five years of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Additionally, a second count accuses a conspiracy to distribute Ativan, a Schedule IV controlled substance, without medical necessity between Hyatt and Talbert. If convicted, both face a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a year of supervised release and a fine of up to $250,000.
Hyatt, Green, Harlan and Rice had arraignments in federal court Wednesday and were given June 9 court dates. Harlan and Rice waived personal appearances at arraignment. Owen has an arraignment set for Monday.
Green, Harlan and Rice were given $10,000 bonds and released. Hyatt has a bond hearing set for Tuesday.
They are to have no contact with witnesses, victims or those accused of being their co-conspirators.
Specifically, the indictment accuses Hyatt and his associates of conspiring to hold patients against their will. The means of doing this included the unlawful administration of Haldol, Ativan and Thorazine as chemical restraints; force; threats; intimidation; and the denial of phone privileges, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“The Indictment alleges that these patients were held so that members of the conspiracy could bill for services that were not rendered and were not medically necessary,” the release states. “Finally, the Indictment alleges that the conspirators did not report patient abuse they participated in and witnessed as they were required to do.”
The indictment lists 27 patients who authorities say were drugged against their will. Some were also physically abused, according to the indictment.
“The object of the conspiracy was for the Defendants to obtain money and other things of value from health care benefits programs like Blue Cross Blue Shield and to maintain and succeed in their employment” with the hospital, the indictment states.