According to an arrest affidavit issued by the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office on September 15, 2024, and obtained by the Kiowa County Independent, an arrest was made of Tristen Sheridan of Eads, Colorado, who was the administrator at the Prairie Pines Assisted Living facility located in Eads, Colorado.
Sheridan was charged with the following:
- 18-6.5-103 (5) Crimes against at risk person – F5 x 2
- 18-6.5-103 (7.5) (a) (b) Crimes against at risk person – F5
- 18-18-415 (1) (a) Fraud and deceit – Drug Felony 4 x 2
- 18-18-404 Unlawful use of a controlled substance DM2 x 4
According to the affidavit, a mandatory reporter that works at Prairie Pines Assisted Living Facility advised the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office on August 29, 2024, that it was their belief that their “supervisor Tristen Sheridan was stealing Hydrocodone, which is a schedule II drug,” and that—due to their training and license requirements that requires them to be a mandatory reporter, and because the report was about their supervisor—they took it to the Kiowa County Sheriff’s Office for further investigation.
The mandatory reporter stated that on the days Sheridan, who is qualified to administer controlled medications, was involved in dispensing the medications a resident of the facility would be in more pain than usual and would stay stationery in their room. This pattern was noticed as early as July of 2023. After a suspicious incident involving Sheridan on August 28, 2024, an internal prescription audit was done by the mandatory reporter who required a second person to be present as a witness. The audit revealed that “medication was not given to the resident at two designated times on that day,” despite Sheridan stating she had administered it. In addition, no entries were made in the log indicating the medicine was given.
According to the affidavit, when Sheridan returned later in the day, she was observed going into the medication office and then to the restroom. The suspected medication audit was taken again and found two hydrocodone pills were gone and the log was filled in by Sheridan stating a hydrocodone pill was given to the resident at 8:30 a.m. and another at 11:30 a.m.
A search warrant was issued and executed on September 4, 2024, on Sheridan’s vehicle, her office, and medicine logs within the facility. An interview of the resident was conducted, as well. A further interview with Sheridan verified the claims of the search warrant.
In addition, a second arrest was made connected to a second employee at the Prairie Pines Assisted Living facility and relating to the Sheridan case on September 15, 2024. That arrest affidavit charged Brandi Thompson of Eads, Colorado with 18-18-405 (1) (a) (2) (c) (I) Unlawful distribution, manufacturing, dispensing, or sale – Drug Felony 3 including Hydrocodone and Percocet, both classified as Schedule II controlled substances.
That affidavit stated that Thompson allowed Sheridan to have access to her prescription hydrocodone and Percocet. Thompson and Sheridan were co-workers and friends. Thompson stated in the affidavit that she allowed Sheridan to go into her purse and take the Percocet because she was in pain. The affidavit also indicated that earlier Thompson had given her prescribed hydrocodone pills to Sheridan when requested.
According to Mike Lening, board chairman of the Prairie Pines Assisted Living Facility, Sheridan was initially placed on paid administrative leave until the board could get the specifics of the case. However, two days later Sheridan resigned as the administrator of the facility.
The board’s response was proactive and appropriate given the circumstances. According to Lening, all residents were informed of what had occurred and they were all given a chance to respond and ask questions.
Secondly, the board transparently called the State of Colorado licensing board, and a full audit of the medications and medication logs was independently conducted.
Finally, the staff at Prairie Pines Assisted Living has been briefed and further opportunities for training will be available. Job descriptions have been re-examined and made available to all employees.
Lening informed the Independent that they have hired an interim administrator to take Sheridan’s place. Talli Lane has worked at the facility for quite some time and was already doing some administrative training. “Talli is currently on the job and being trained.”
According to Lening, “The state has been working directly with Lane and she is getting a good handle on it.”
As part of these changes, the board and Lane have updated and tightened the protocols when it comes to the administration of medications. Medications are now kept under lock and key and two people work at the same time to organize and administer the medications. Check lists are also required and no one person is allowed in the office at any given time.
Lening and his board is now confident that “everyone is following the new protocol and channels of communication have been put in place that are more effective. We are doing what we can to improve it and strengthen it so that this situation doesn’t happen again.”
