DES MOINES, Iowa - United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum announced that six nursing home employees have been indicted for controlled substance offenses committed in the course of their employment at nursing home facilities.
• Arminda Cruickshank, age 36, of Osceola, was charged with three counts of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge and three counts of false statements related to health care matters. The indictment alleges Cruickshank fraudulently obtained Oxycodone pills from residents at Calvin Community and Valley View Village nursing homes in Des Moines and diverted them for her own use. Cruickshank has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
• Katie Christine Howard, age 31, of Des Moines, was charged with two counts of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge and two counts of false statements related to health care matters. The indictment alleges Howard fraudulently obtained Oxycodone and Hydrocodone pills from residents at University Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Des Moines and diverted them for her own use. Howard pleaded guilty to two offenses on Feb. 11, 2019, and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 18, 2019, by United States Senior District Court Judge James E. Gritzner.
• Samantha Anne Mills, age 29, of Des Moines, was charged with three counts of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge. The indictment alleges Mills removed Fentanyl patches from nursing home residents and diverted the medication for her own use. Mills pleaded not guilty to the charges.
• Alicia Danielle Swenson, age 32, of Des Moines, was charged with three counts of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge and three counts of false statements related to health care matters. The indictment alleges Swenson fraudulently obtained Hydrocodone pills from residents at Carlisle Center for Wellness and Rehabilitation and diverted them for her own use. Swenson pleaded not guilty to the charges.
• Barbara Jean Tindall, age 47, formerly of Keosauqua, was charged with two counts of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge and three counts of false statements relating to health care matters. The indictment alleges Tindall fraudulently obtained Oxycodone and Hydrocodone pills from residents at the Keosauqua Health Care Center and Savannah Heights in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, and diverted them for her own use. Tindall pleaded not guilty to the charges.
• Christine Renee Weilbrenner, age 30, of Ankeny, was charged with one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge and one count of possession of a controlled substance. The indictment alleges Weilbrenner fraudulently obtained Tramadol pills from residents of The Bridges at Ankeny and diverted them for her own use. Weilbrenner pleaded not guilty to the charges.
The public is reminded that an indictment is merely an accusation, and defendants are presumed innocent unless and until they are proven guilty.
The possible penalties for acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, and subterfuge is up to four years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine. The potential penalties for false statements relating to health care matters is up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.
These matters were investigated by the Iowa Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. These cases are being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Iowa as part of the Department of Justice’s Elder Abuse Initiative.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
