Sells appeared in U.S. District Court on Wednesday. In a calm voice, he acknowledged to Judge John A. Ross that he understood what he was doing by waiving his right to an indictment and trial. Ross indicated his sentence could be reduced somewhat by his cooperation.

Sells’ attorney, Scott Rosenblum, told Ross that his client struggled with drug and alcohol addiction but had been sober “for some time.”

Sells declined to comment as he left court. In a previous interview with a reporter he said he wished he had an answer to explain how conditions had gotten so bad at Benchmark.

There is now nothing left of the nursing home empire, Legacy Health Systems, established in 1938 in southeastern Missouri by Sells’ grandmother, Clara Sells.

The business had expanded into a $100 million company with 2,000 patients and 1,600 employees in 27 facilities across Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee before its collapse.

In recent years, Legacy sold almost all of its assets or had them seized by creditors. The Festus location was one of three homes left in the company’s portfolio. At the time of the Benchmark closing, about 200 residents lived at its two remaining facilities in Sikeston, Mo., and Puryear, Tenn.

Johnnie Mac Sells’ son Ben, 26, and some other family members later bought the Sikeston home out of foreclosure; the Puryear home also has a new owner.

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