The U.S. Attorney says the women are all facing charges for allegedly taking prescription painkillers such as oxycodone and hydracodone from their workplaces in central and southeast Iowa.
One of the women, 31-year-old Katie Howard of Des Moines, pleaded guilty to two counts after being charged with four counts and will be sentenced in July.
The other five pleaded not guilty. Thirty-six-year-old Arminda Cruickshank 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.
Twenty-nine-year-old Samantha Mills 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.
Thirty-two-year-old Alicia Swenson 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.
Forty-seven-year-old Barbara Tindall of Keosaqua 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.
Thirty-year-old Christine Weilbrenner of Ankeny pleaded after being charged with 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