On October 30, 2025, Wright County Deputy Farniok was dispatched to The Estates of Delano nursing home in Wright County, Minnesota for a report of theft. The building administrator, JIB, reported a staff member, Pamela Jenelle Lee [DOB REDACTED] hereinafter defendant, has been stealing medication from a patient. Deputy Farniok learned the facility had been completing a review of medication logs and observed inconsistencies were found regarding the patient. The patient was prescribed one oxycodone pill a day, but according to the medication log, the patient had received multiple pills a day given by defendant per the logs.
Upon further review, it was observed the logs indicated defendant giving the pills to the patient on days defendant was not working. According to staff, on October 7, 2025, the patient had 37 oxycodone pills and on October 28, 2025, the patient had one remaining. Detective Lang was assigned to further investigate the matter. Detective Lang spoke with JIB on November 3, 2025, and other staff members, TL and AO. Based on an interview with the defendant, defendant stated this was all a misunderstanding and a mistake.
JIB explained the medications for patients are all on a secure cart and medical staff administer the medications. Staff log the administered medications and for narcotics there is a separate additional log staff fills out. Detective Lang and Rudolph spoke with defendant on November 5, 2025. Defendant stated this entire thing was simply a mistake on her part. Defendant stated she did not realize the patients prescription changed from (2) 5mg doses of oxycodone to (1) 10 mg dose daily. Defendant stated she never realized the change and had unintentionally been providing the patient with more oxycodone than prescribed.
Defendant stated she was distracted by others and that caused the errors when asked about the log signed dates where defendant was not working. Pursuant to a search warrant, Detective Lang received defendant’s work schedule and logs for administering medication. The records indicated days when the patient was given one, two, or three doses of medication. There were records observed that were not sequenced properly and other medication disbursement wherein the signature was for another nurse, but the other nurse was certain the initials were not written by them.
Detective Lang observed 9 entries that would be duplicate or triple med days signed out by defendant and an additional 3 entries where the signature does not match the other nurse. It was also observed October 16th, 20th, and 21st, the defendant was not working, but the logs showed defendant administering oxycodone to the patient. It should be noted oxycodone is a level II controlled substance.
