A former Glen Cove nursing home aide was sentenced to two to six years in prison on Friday, Dec. 19, after being convicted of sexually assaulting two disabled residents in 2022, according to state Attorney General Letitia James’ office.
A Nassau County jury delivered a verdict in November, finding Phillip Harris of Central Islip guilty of three counts of endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person, two counts of endangering the welfare of a vulnerable elderly person, or an incompetent or physically disabled person, two counts of willful violation of public health laws and two counts of forcible touching.
He was also charged with three counts of falsifying business records related to alleged false statements that he made during the investigation, for which he was found not guilty.
The sentence also comes with a $10,000 fine, according to James’ office.
James said Harris began working as an aide at the Glengariff Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center in Glen Cove in late 2021. An investigation by the attorney general’s office revealed that in March 2022, Harris sexually assaulted two disabled residents under his care. One of the residents reported the assault to his wife and daughter, who reported it to Glen Cove police and the nursing home, which launched an investigation that uncovered the other assault, James said.
“Every nursing home resident deserves high-quality care and should be able to trust that their caregivers will treat them with dignity and respect,” James said after the sentencing.
