New York Attorney General Letitia James announced the felony conviction of Phillip Harris, a former nursing home aide in Nassau County, for sexually assaulting two residents under his care in March 2022. Harris, 43, from Central Islip, was found guilty by a Nassau County jury on nine charges connected to the abuse of vulnerable residents at Glengariff Rehabilitation and Healthcare Center.
“Every nursing home resident deserves high-quality care and should be able to trust that their caregivers will treat them with dignity and respect,” said Attorney General James. “Phillip Harris’ despicable crimes endangered vulnerable nursing home residents, and now my office has brought him to justice. I will not allow anyone to mistreat or take advantage of New York nursing home residents.”
Harris began working at the facility in December 2021. According to an investigation by the Office of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU), one resident reported the assault to family members, who then informed both Glen Cove police and the nursing home administration. The ensuing investigation revealed another victim.
The jury convicted Harris on three counts of endangering the welfare of an incompetent or physically disabled person in the first degree (a class E felony), two counts of endangering the welfare of a vulnerable elderly person or an incompetent or physically disabled person in the second degree (a class E felony), two counts of willful violation of public health laws (misdemeanor), and two counts of forcible touching (class A misdemeanor). He was acquitted on three counts related to falsifying business records.
Harris is scheduled for sentencing on December 19. For each felony crime related to each victim, he faces up to one and one-third to four years in state prison.
Attorney General James acknowledged assistance from Detective Steven Grella, Glen Cove Police Department, and New York State Department of Health. The prosecution team included Special Assistant Attorney General Prabhjot Sekhon-Treanor, Regional Director Veronica Bindrim-MacDevitt, MFCU Chief of Criminal Investigations Thomas O’Hanlon, Director Amy Held, Assistant Deputy Attorney General Paul J. Mahoney, Chief Deputy Attorney General José Maldonado, and First Deputy Attorney General Jennifer Levy.
James encouraged anyone with information about nursing home abuse or neglect to file a confidential complaint online or call OAG’s MFCU hotline at (833) 249-8499.
For federal fiscal year 2026, New York’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is funded with $70.8 million; about three-quarters comes from a grant provided by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services while New York State covers the remainder.
