Dodge Nurse Pleads Guilty to Oxycodone Diversion

MINNEAPOLIS – The grim halls of justice were again filled with the sound of a guilty plea as Dodge County nurse Jennifer Lee Garrison, 40, stepped into U.S. District Court to admit her role in the opioid crisis. Garrison, a former post-anesthesia care nurse at a local hospital, had been charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.

According to court documents, Garrison’s scheme began in August 2022 and reached its peak by July 2023. She was caught diverting up to six oxycodone pills each day from the hospital’s automated dispensing cabinet, where she had access to both controlled and uncontrolled substances.

The defendant employed two devious tactics: on occasion, she would provide patients with only one of two prescribed oxycodone pills while keeping the second for herself. She then concocted falsified pain reports to disguise her theft. On other days, Garrison would pretend to access an incorrect drawer filled with oxybutynin, using it as a cover while actually taking an oxycodone pill from the correct drawer.

Garrison’s fraudulent activities were uncovered through an investigation led by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Drug Enforcement Administration. The assistant U.S. Attorney handling the case, Campbell Warner, has vowed to pursue justice for the victims of this shocking breach in trust.

In a solemn courtroom, Garrison pleaded guilty before Judge Jerry W. Blackwell to one count of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. Sentencing will be determined at a later date.

This case serves as a stark reminder of the dangers posed by healthcare professionals who abuse their position for personal gain, and it highlights the ongoing battle against opioid diversion that plagues our nation.

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