Owner of group home pleads guilty of criminal abuse

The owner of several local group homes pleaded guilty to gross misdemeanor criminal abuse, involving sexual relations with a vulnerable adult who was a client at one of her homes. 

Paula Beulke, 63, of Montgomery, owner and chief executive of Blossom Hill Corporation and Sunrise Farms, pleaded guilty March 5 to one of three counts filed against her, including engaging in sexual contact or penetration with a resident, patient or client. The other two, lesser counts were dropped.

According to court documents, an investigation conducted by the Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office revealed that the "vulnerable adult" was a resident in the “board and lodge facility” known as Sunrise Farms when the sexual relations started in April 2016.

Beulke was sentenced to three days in the county jail, which she started serving the day of the sentencing, and two years probation. 

According to Le Sueur County attorney Jason Moran, Beulke received a stay of adjudication, which was recommended by probation as part of the pre-sentence investigation process. This means that if Beulke successfully completes probation she will not have to register as a sex offender.  

“If she violates probation in any regard then the stay of adjudication would likely be lifted,” Moran explained. “The stay of adjudication seems appropriate because she has no history of other illegal conduct.” 

According to Moran, Beulke’s probation requires her to remain law abiding, have no contact with vulnerable adults, have no contact with the victim, complete a psycho-sexual assessment and follow all recommendations stemming from the assessment. 

On March 4, attorney Evon M. Spangler filed documents with the Minnesota Secretary of State indicating the intent to dissolve Blossom Hill Corporation. (See the legal notice in this week’s Montgomery Messenger.) 

Questions as to the future of the company and Beulke’s involvement were emailed to Spangler and Robert Beulke, who signed the intent to dissolve document. A call was also made to the company’s Oak Ave SW, Montgomery, office, but no response was received as of press time.