POINCIANA, Fla. – A husband and wife accused of running a network of unlicensed assisted living facilities across two counties will remain behind bars.
A judge denied bond to Marie Carenan and Ronald Pack on Thursday.
The state argued Carenan and Pack are a danger to the community — and that what investigators found inside their facilities was not simply an operation falling short of standards, but more like a prison.
Carenan and Pack are accused of operating nine unlicensed facilities in Polk and Osceola counties under the names “Cherish Home Care” and “Cherish Independent Living Care.”
The sheriff’s office says more than 300 calls for service came from these homes over several years.
Photos taken by the sheriff’s office show locks on windows, doors, refrigerators, and other cabinets used to store food for residents. Investigators say there was no lifesaving equipment on site and no licensed nurses available for bedridden residents.
The Department of Children and Families removed 38 residents from the facilities last month.
Both Carenan and Pack have pleaded not guilty. They are due back in court next month.