Former nurse pleads guilty to indecent assault of residents at Lower Burrell care home

A former nurse at a Lower Burrell care nursing home and rehabilitation center was sentenced Wednesday to at least 6 months in jail for indecent assaults against two residents last year.

Jacques C. Wagner, 58, of New Kensington pleaded guilty to six offenses in which police said he had sexual contact with two women in his care at the Belair Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center in October.

According to court records, police said one of the women told them Wagner came to her room and touched her inappropriately while changing her adult diaper.

Police said a second resident told them Wagner touched her inappropriately while he was changing her bed pan, but she initially was too afraid to report the incident.

Wagner initially denied the allegations but after continued questioning by investigators confessed, police said. He claimed the women “would flirt with him” and believed they were attracted to him, police said.

Wagner did not speak during Wednesday’s court hearing in which he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor charges of indecent assault and two counts each of neglect and abuse of a patient in his care. One felony charge of aggravated indecent assault was dismissed.

Westmoreland County Common Pleas Judge Meagan Bilik-DeFazio ordered Wagner to serve six to 23 months in jail and an additional 10 years on probation.

The judge also barred Wagner from working at any care facility and to forfeit his nursing license.

Wagner, who has been free on $25,000 bail since his arrest, was ordered to report to the Westmoreland County Prison on Friday, Jan. 14 to begin serving his sentence.