TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Attorney General Bill McCollum announced on Wednesday that a former staff member of a St. Augustine group home was arrested and charged with falsely imprisoning and abusing a disabled resident of that facility.

Enrique Simpson was arrested by law enforcement officers with the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit.

Simpson, 39, is a former staff member of Adams Acres/Viscaya Group Home in St. Augustine. The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit's Patient Abuse Neglect and Exploitation team began investigating Simpson after receiving reports of alleged abuse occurring at the facility.

A witness told investigators that Simpson had left one of his disabled clients handcuffed to a chair. The victim suffered from severe developmental disabilities.

Executive Director Wendy Moran said Simpson not only passed a background check with flying colors but also had extensive training in the field.

"Unfortunately, this employee did not heed his training. I'm glad that the house manager was there and walked in the door and found what was happening," Moran said. "It was immediately taken care of."

Simpson was immediately fired following the incident.

"This was one of the worst possible things he could have done," Moran said.

Simpson is expected to face criminal charges of abusing a disabled adult and false imprisonment, both third-degree felonies. If convicted of the charges, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.