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Upper Marlboro resident Kelly Barry, 25, was sentenced to 180 days in jail - with a portion suspended - followed by probation and 90 hours of community service after admitting to abusing a person while on the job.
According to court documents, Barry, was a former Direct Support Professional for Community Options, Inc., a residential facility for persons with disabilities, located in Rockville when he committed the crime.
Between June 2022 and October 2022, prosecutors said that Barry was providing care to a vulnerable person who is non-verbal, autistic, and unable to care for himself; however, rather than taking him out to community outings for his health, he used the time to make food deliveries to make extra money.
On Oct. 19, 2022, Barry picked up his victim and drove from Maryland into Washington, DC to make five food deliveries, leaving his victim unattended during the last one.
After the delivery was completed, Barry observed a masked individual steal the van while the vulnerable adult was still inside the vehicle.
During his initial call to 911, Barry failed to mention that the vulnerable adult was in the stolen vehicle and subsequently failed to notify the Metropolitan Police Department officer who arrived on scene to assist with the investigation.
After, Barry informed his employer that he did not notify police that the vulnerable adult was still in the vehicle, and the company advised him to provide that information to the authorities.
He did not.
Approximately three and a half hours after the theft of the van, the man was found by members of the Prince George’s County Police Department, barefoot and wandering in the middle of traffic on the I-495 Capital Beltway.
The man was then taken to an area hospital for treatment and evaluation.
In addition to his sentence, a judge ordered that Barry be prohibited from working with anyone who cannot care for themselves.
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