Owner of local group homes accused of sexual relations with client
The owner of several local group homes faces criminal charges for allegedly engaging in sexual relations with a vulnerable adult who was a client at one of her homes.
Paula Beulke, 62, of Montgomery, owner and chief executive of Blossom Hill Corporation and Sunrise Farms, faces three counts of gross-misdemeanor criminal abuse that allege Beulke engaged in sexual contact or penetration with a 37-year-old client, who is described in court documents as a vulnerable adult, while providing services at the facility.
According to the court report, an investigation conducted by the Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office revealed that the vulnerable adult, who is listed as Jonathon Doe or JD, was a resident in the “board and lodge facility” known as Sunrise Farms when the alleged sexual relations started in April 2016.
According to prosecuting attorney Jason Moran, a sexual relationship between an operator of a group home facility and a resident of a group home facility constitutes a gross misdemeanor crime if the people in question are adults and the actions are not forced or coerced.
The investigation uncovered communications between Beulke and JD, including nude photographs of Beulke and “voluminous” Facebook messages describing sexual acts, photographs, and a request from Beulke to delete material, which are listed in the report.
According to court documents, JD reported his alleged sexual relationship with Beulke to a staff member at the group home. During the investigation, law enforcement reportedly questioned the staff member, who is no longer employed with Sunrise Farms. The former staff member stated that JD received privileges that other clients at the facility did not and “the relationship Paula Beulke had with him (JD) was not professional.”
See more in the March 22 print edition.
