Lake Andes man convicted of abusing disabled person

LAKE ANDES — A Lake Andes man has been convicted of abusing a disabled adult.

Kelly Joe Wells, 28, was found guilty of abuse of a disabled adult, a felony, by a Charles Mix County jury on Wednesday.

Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 17. Wells faces a maximum penalty of two years in prison and/or a $4,000 fine.

He was indicted March 22 on one count of sexual contact with a person incapable of consenting, a felony.

The jury found Wells not guilty of that charge.

Attorney General Marty Jackley and Charles Mix County State’s Attorney Pam Hein announced the verdict Thursday afternoon.

According to a release from Jackley, the charges stemmed from an incident at a nursing home in Charles Mix County, in which Wells allegedly abused an elderly resident.

This case was investigated by the Charles Mix County Sheriff’s Office, the Division of Criminal Investigation and was prosecuted by the Attorney General’s Office, the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit, and the Charles Mix County States Attorney’s Office, with assistance from the Department of Health.

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