A former employee at Prestige Assisted Living in Kalispell admitted to allegations that she tampered with packaging and took pain medications intended for patients, according to U.S. Attorney’s Office, District of Montana.
Nicole Elice Anderson, 39, of Post Falls, Idaho, pleaded guilty Friday to unlawfully obtaining controlled substances, the department said.
Anderson faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and one year of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2025.
According to court documents, Anderson reportedly obtained oxycodone and hydrocodone through fraudulent means from February to March 2023.
In March, Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) agents were alerted to potential drug diversion at Prestige Assisted Living in Kalispell, where 120 hydrocodone tablets for a patient were reportedly replaced with Tylenol.
The DEA findings indicate that seven medication cards showed signs of tampering, with Prestige staff reportedly identifying Anderson as one of two employees with access to the drugs in question.