An employee pleaded not
guilty Tuesday to charges in connection
to the Evergreen Assisted Living Home fire.
Manuel Lema, 47, pleaded
not guilty to criminal impersonation and obstructing governmental administration.
Court documents say Lema called Rockland County Sheriff’s Office to request that the
fire alarm system for Evergreen be taken offline and placed on test mode.
Lema also contacted the sheriff's department to falsely
identify himself as "Enrique,” another
employee at Evergreen, according to the court documents.
"This is a horrific
incident. The outcome is
devastating not just for families involved but for others involved, as well. He
wants to do the right thing and assist in any way that he can," says Jonathan
Ripps, Lema’s attorney.
The case is expected to appear before a grand jury in the near future.
An arrest warrant remains in effect for the facility’s director, Denise Kerr.