GREEN COVE SPRINGS – A man masquerading as a licensed nurse was returned to Clay County on April 17 from Macomb, Michigan, to face 14 counts of practicing medicine without a license, one count of criminal use of personal identification information, and one count of scheming to defraud.

Julien Stewart Williams, 30, was arrested on March 17 in Michigan. According to an affidavit for an arrest report, Williams is accused of using the identity and credentials of a UF Health nurse to work as a home healthcare provider for an elderly man.

BrightStar Care hired him at the insistence of his girlfriend, Alexiea Lynn Irwin. She was also arrested in Michigan and is facing charges.

“In what I can only describe as a troubling and upsetting case, on Oct. 13 of 2024, an elderly Clay County man passed away from natural causes while under the care of what his family thought was a licensed home health aide,” Cook said. “The company was based out of Jacksonville and employed our two individuals identified as suspects.”

Williams stole the identity and credentials of a UF Health nurse, Darez Whigham, according to CCSO.

“Alexiea Irwin was hired at BrightStar Care; she took care of several different business functions, including patient care, coordination, scheduling and human resources,” Cook said. “She eventually convinced the company to hire her fiancé, our second suspect, Julien Williams, as a home health aide. Julian Williams was not trained as a home health aide, nor was he trained as a nurse. He was not licensed as a nurse, but his fiancée, Alexiea Irwin, falsified records and documents to help him get the job. In fact, Irwin used her position and access at the company to falsify company records. He took a former licensed practicing nurse's identity and employment information and allowed her fiancé to pose as that former licensed employee.”

Williams used those fake credentials and was paired with former U.S. Marine Gunnery Sgt. Kensworth Moody, who was suffering from kidney disease and required 24-hour care. After Moody died on Oct. 13, the family was suspicious of Williams’ legitimacy of his skilled nursing care credentials, and they asked the sheriff’s office to investigate.

According to the affidavit, the victim’s wife and daughter said Williams “didn’t seem to know what he was doing and that he did not actively assist with providing care or reviving him at the time of his passing.”

Williams claimed to be “Darez W.” The family searched various databases for “Darez W” and found a profile photo that didn’t match the individual who was in their home caring for the victim.

Williams was paid $4,856.25 for 188.25 hours of care over 14 days for Moody, according to BrightCare.

Irwin and Williams won’t be charged in connection with Moody’s death since he died of natural causes, Cook said.

Williams’ bond was set at $400,012.