A former caretaker charged with abusing residents of a Beaver County special needs facility pleaded guilty Wednesday to dozens of counts.
Zachary Dinell, 26, of Freedom will be sentenced April 30 in Beaver County Common Pleas Court by Judge Dale M. Fouse.
Beaver County District Attorney David Lozier said the defendant pleaded guilty to 29 counts and is facing a maximum sentence of 105 years in prison for crimes committed against residents of McGuire Memorial in Daugherty.
Mr. Dinell, who was fired when the accusations came to light, was accused of assaulting residents and taking photos and videos of nude patients, including some juveniles. The charges filed against him included aggravated assault, neglect of a care-dependent person, endangering the welfare of children and recklessly endangering another person.
Authorities said that Mr. Dinell punched and kicked multiple patients, rubbed unknown substances in their eyes, threw objects at their heads and choked a patient.
McGuire Memorial, a ministry of the Felician Sisters of North America, has served people with physical and developmental disabilities since 1963 in Beaver County.
A second defendant and former caretaker, Tyler Smith, 29, was charged with simple assault, recklessly endangering another person and endangering the welfare of children. His case is still working its way through court.
In November, several family members of current or former residents sued the facility and Mr. Dinell in Beaver County Common Pleas Court. Mr. Smith also was named as a defendant in one of the cases.
Lawyer Robert N. Peirce III, who is representing the plaintiffs, said he and his four clients were at Mr. Dinell's plea hearing along with other McGuire Memorial family members and their supporters.
Judge Fouse is awaiting victim-impact statements and will review video evidence filmed by Mr. Dinell before rendering his sentence, Mr. Peirce said.
He said the parties in the civil litigation are currently in discovery, which must be completed by Oct. 30.
The civil complaints allege that Mr. Dinell documented the abuse of residents in more than 150 photographs and videos.
Mr. Lozier said that no one involved in the case wanted a trial where the videos depicting abuse would be shown.
“The families of the 14 victims are relieved that the stress of a trial and public viewing of the videos will be avoided. A representative of each victim stood in court to voice support for this plea,” Mr. Lozier said.
He continued: “Sentencing on April 30 will allow the families to explain the impact which these heinous acts had upon their loved ones. We trust that the court will take these testimonies into account when pronouncing the sentence.”
Jonathan D. Silver: jsilver@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1962 or on Twitter @jsilverpg.
First Published: February 26, 2020, 9:30 p.m.