NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — An Indianapolis man is accused of not only failing to register as a sex offender but also lying about having a nursing license in order to land a job as a hospice nurse.
Zachary Howard Hartley is charged with two counts of failing to register as a sex offender, three counts of forgery and two counts of identity deception, all Level 6 felonies. Hartley also faces misdemeanor counts of practicing nursing without a license and fraud.
According to court documents, Hartley was accused of having a sexual encounter with a minor in 2021 and paying the minor for nude photographs. He was found guilty in February of possession of child pornography and contribution to the delinquency of a minor.
Hartley was sentenced to probation but also ordered to register as a sex offender. Investigators said Hartley never registered as a sex offender, however. More so, he reportedly lied about his identity and his qualifications in order to land a job as a hospice nurse.
Court documents detail that Hartley was hired by a hospice healthcare provider on March 21 after completing an online interview. Hartley reportedly used a false name and a false nurse licensing number when applying for the job.
Hartley had only been on his second day of job shadowing when a worker at Wellbrooke of Carmel, a senior care facility, recognized him and reported him to police. Hartley had reportedly worked for Wellbrooke for around a month at the end of 2023 before the facility learned he’d lied about his credentials and licenses.
When looking into Hartley, investigators learned he used a fraudulent social security number in addition to his false nurse licensing number in order to deceive his employer.
Hartley reportedly used several different names including Zachary Carter, Zachary Dailey and Zachary Runser.
We are very thankful to our team, whom acted quickly on their initial concerns during his employment as a CNA, and continue to work with all necessary outlets in the investigation.
Wellbrooke of Carmel
If convicted, Hartley faces up to 2.5 years in prison on a Level 6 felony.
