Woman faces theft, drug counts – Fairmont Sentinel

Jennifer Ann Kiewiet has been charged with one count of theft, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine. She also has been charged with another count of theft and one count of drug possession in the fifth degree, both of which carry a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $10,000 fine.

According to the complaint:

At 4 p.m. March 14, a Fairmont police officer was dispatched to Goldfinch Estates in Fairmont on a report of theft of narcotics. The officer met with an employee who explained they had Tramadol from one of the residents that was sent back to a pharmacist in Windom, but the pharmacist had called to advise that the medication was not Tramadol but rather caffeine pills.

The employee said another employee had placed the medication in the med carts in the morning and, in the afternoon, the medications had been exchanged with other pills.

Officers then met with Goldfinch staff, who indicated it was determined the pills that were supposed to be in the pill cartridge-holders for clients had been switched. They observed that 5 mg Hydrocodone and 325 acetaminophen pills had been switched out with an unknown over-the-counter substance.

The staff continued to look at other pill containers that were missing controlled substances including OxyContin, Alprazolam and Tramadol.

The officers asked if anyone was acting suspicious that day, and were advised that Kiewiet, an employee, had appeared to be under the influence and was acting oddly. The officers asked that she be brought to the conference room for an interview.

An officer interviewed Kiewiet and advised her there were problems with medications at Goldfinch. Kiewiet was advised there had been medications swapped out, and the officer asked her if she had heard about that going on. Kiewiet replied that she had not.

Kiewiet said she had heard people had stolen medications in the past, and again denied knowing anything about medications being swapped out of patients’ pill containers.

The officer then advised Kiewiet that anybody possibly involved could be drug-tested, and asked if Kiewiet was going to test positive for anything. She responded she would not.

Kiewiet then said she was prescribed Tramadol, and stated she would test negative for any opiates.

Stating that Kiewiet could tell him no, the officer asked if he could look through her property, and Kiewiet said he could look. Kiewiet removed all items from her apron, and the officer was also given her jacket.

The officer then asked if Kiewiet had anything in the pockets of her pants, and she said she did not. The officer could observe an outline in Kiewiet’s right pants pocket, and recovered three paper cups that contained pills. The pills were later identified as medication for treatment of Parkinson’s disease.

The officer then asked Kiewiet about the pills, and Kiewiet said she just forgot to give them to the clients. The officer then stopped the interview and read Kiewiet her rights. Kiewiet said she understood her rights and agreed to answer questions.

The officer asked how long she had been stealing medication and she said, “Not very long.” The officer then asked her where the Oxycodone was, and she replied she did not have any. The officer then asked Kiewiet what happened to the Oxycodone and she stated she took them.

Kiewiet admitted to taking about six pills, and admitted she had been taking pills from patients for about two months. Kiewiet also admitted she had placed caffeine pills in the containers to hide her theft of the medications. Kiewiet stated the last two months she had been taking full containers of controlled substances including Oxycodone, OxyContin and Tramadol.

Kiewiet admitted she had an addiction and admitted to taking narcotics and other prescription drugs from five different residents at Goldfinch Estates.

Kiewiet acknowledged the residents were not receiving the medication they needed because she was replacing their pills with caffeine pills and other non-prescription drugs.