ALEXANDRIA, La. (WNTZ) -- A Pineville man has pleaded guilty to abusing an intellectually disabled resident under his care at a state facility, according to Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Dominic Trevon Lott, of Pineville, pleaded guilty on Nov. 5, 2025, before Judge Beard in Rapides Parish to one count of cruelty to persons with infirmities under Louisiana Revised Statute 14:93.3.

Lott was employed as a residential support specialist at Pinecrest Supports and Services Center in Pineville, a state-run residential facility that provides care for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and complex behavioral and medical needs.

Investigators said that between Dec. 19 and Dec. 20, 2022, Lott repeatedly struck a resident - who has autism spectrum disorder and limited verbal communication - with a broom or mop handle while serving as the individual’s one-on-one caregiver. The victim’s injuries were discovered by other staff members later that day.

Lott was arrested on July 16, 2024, and later formally charged with cruelty to persons with infirmities. He pleaded guilty as charged and was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended, and one year of active supervised probation. His sentence includes a 10 p.m.–6 a.m. curfew, no drugs or alcohol, no entry into bars or casinos, a $250 fine plus court costs, a $150 pre-sentence investigation fee and a $60 monthly supervision fee.

Attorney General Liz Murrill commended the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for its work in the case.

“We will not tolerate this kind of behavior in our nursing homes or residential facilities across Louisiana,” Murrill said. “Great work by my Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for obtaining justice for this defenseless victim.”

Following the conviction, Lott is permanently barred from working in any capacity within Louisiana’s Medicaid Program.

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