NATCHEZ — A Natchez resident and a Vidalia resident have been arrested on charges of accessory to the exploitation of a vulnerable adult in connection with an attorney general’s office investigation.

Justin Johnson, 30, 23 Meadowbrooke Road, Natchez, was indicted on 14 counts of accessory after the fact in felony exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Johnson is the director of operations for Trend Consultants, a company that owns several senior care facilities around the state.

Tina Brewer, 43, 2017 Eleanor St., Vidalia, was indicted on the same charges. She is the billing specialist for Trend Consultants.

Both Johnson and Brewer are currently out on $25,000 bond.

The incident at the center of the allegations occurred at Belhaven Senior Care in Jackson. Social worker Ponchie McCollough, 36, of Jackson, has been charged with one count of conspiracy and 19 counts of felony exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

“In each case, McCollough is alleged to have misappropriated residents’ funds under the guise of spending down accumulated funds so that residents would not lose Medicaid benefits,” a press release issued by the attorney general’s office Monday said.

The funds were not used for residents needs, the release said, but were kept by McCollough and other co-conspirators.

Some of the others charged with accessory in the case are accused of trying to cover up the alleged wrongdoing in an effort to avoid returning the funds to the residents, according to the release.

“Within the indictments, there are 21 separate incidents of exploitation involving eight residents of Belhaven Senior Care,” said Attorney General Jim Hood. “A total of $25,785 was taken from the victims.”

Owners of Trend Consultants agreed to return the missing money to the residents on Dec. 3. They also paid a penalty to the state in the amount of $77,355.

“The agreement absolved the corporation, but not the individual employees who are accused of committing crimes individually,” the release said.

Johnson could not be reached for comment at his office or his house, and Brewer could not be reached at home.

Trend Consultants is owned by Charles Bruce Kelly of Natchez. He also owns Claiborne County Senior Care and Wilkinson County Senior Care.