A Sun Valley couple is staring down a mountain of criminal charges after a grand jury returned a 69-count indictment, Nevada Attorney General Aaron Ford announced Friday. Lawrence and Leasa Carter are charged with a long list of felonies that include Medicaid fraud, racketeering, perjury, theft and identity theft involving older persons.
In a post on X from the Nevada Attorney General, Ford said the grand jury handed up the 69-count indictment naming both Carters. According to that post, the case centers on alleged Medicaid fraud and racketeering, and the indictment claims the defendants used the identifying information of older persons as part of the scheme.
The Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit has pursued similar cases in recent years. On September 8, 2025, a defendant in an unrelated case was ordered to pay $7.5 million in restitution for Medicaid fraud and racketeering, according to a Nevada Attorney General's Office press release.
What the Charges Allege and Why They Matter
Identity theft of older persons and false Medicaid billing can each be prosecuted as felonies under Nevada law. According to the Nevada Attorney General's Office, Nevada's identity-theft statute (NRS 205.463) makes it a crime to use another person's personal identifying information to obtain property or services, and the office provides resources for people who believe they have been victimized.
Legal Next Steps
The indictment is a set of allegations, not a conviction, and Lawrence and Leasa Carter are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court. The Attorney General's post did not list a court date or the district where charges were filed, and it is not yet clear when the Carters will be arraigned, according to the Nevada Attorney General.
Why Investigators Focus on Medicaid Fraud
Prosecutors say fraudulent Medicaid billing drains taxpayer dollars and can ultimately deprive vulnerable residents of needed care. The Attorney General's office has pointed to past convictions and large restitution orders to underscore the financial and human cost of these schemes, according to a prior Nevada Attorney General's Office release.
