UPDATED Thursday, December 4, 2008 --- 6:40 a.m.

PORTAGE, Wis. (AP) -- An employee accused of fondling female residents at a Wisconsin Dells nursing home is free on a signature bond after making an appearance in Columbia County Court.

Kurt Johnson of Rio faces three counts of second-degree sexual assault.

Johnson worked as a certified nursing assistant at the Golden Living Center. Three co-workers reported they saw him fondle three residents between September and December 2007.

A criminal complaint says two of the residents were in the Alzheimer's unit.

If convicted, Johnson could serve 120 years and pay a $300,000 fine.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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UPDATED Tuesday, November 18, 2008 --- 4:30 p.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- The state Department of Justice has charged a nursing home worker with fondling three patients.

According to the criminal complaint, 49-year-old Kurt Johnson of Rio worked at the Golden Living Center in Wisconsin Dells in 2007. Three of his co-workers reported they saw him fondle three patients' breasts between September and December 2007. Two of the patients were in the Alzheimer unit.

Johnson faces three counts of second-degree sexual assault, punishable by up to 120 years in prison and $300,000 fine.

Online court records did not list the case or an attorney for Johnson on Tuesday. The public defender's office in Baraboo, which handles cases in Wisconsin Dells, had no record of the case Tuesday.

Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

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Tuesday, November 18, 2008 --- 3:50 p.m.

MADISON – Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen announced that a criminal complaint was filed today in Columbia County charging Kurt Johnson, 49, W5080 Cowgill Road, Rio, with three counts of second degree sexual assault stemming from his employment at Golden Living Center, Wisconsin Dells.

According to the Department of Justice’s criminal complaint, Johnson was employed as a certified nursing assistant responsible for the care of patients living in the Dementia/Alzheimer’s unit of the facility. On three separate occasions in September and December 2007, Johnson was seen by three separate co-workers to be fondling the breasts of female residents. One of the residents is incapable of communicating or showing reaction, however, another resident was seen trying to physically resist the assault.

The case was investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Eric Defort.

A criminal complaint is a document accusing a person of a violation of criminal law. A defendant enjoys a presumption of innocence. The prosecution must prove its allegations at trial.