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Underwood teacher pleads guilty to prohibited acts charge

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June 19th, 2014 by Ric Hanson

An Underwood teacher has agreed to plead guilty to a felony charge of Prohibited Acts, in connection with the use of allegedly stolen prescription pads to obtain pain medication in Nebraska and Iowa. The Council Bluffs Daily NonPareil reports Samantha Telleen entered her plea to the reduced, Class-C felony charge Tuesday, in Pottawattamie County District Court. In exchange for the plea agreement, eight additional counts of Prohibited Acts were dismissed.

Telleen’s sentencing was deferred for two years. She was fined $1,000 and placed on probation. In Iowa, a Class C felony carries a punishment of up to 10 years in prison and a maximum $1,000 fine, and she previously faced up to 90 years in prison. The woman faced nine counts of prohibited acts after charges against her husband, Heath, were dismissed in April. Telleen also was ordered to pay $480 in restitution to Jacqueline Sullivan-Ogg, who works at Underwood Family Practice, where Telleen allegedly stole the prescription pads.

Samantha Telleen works as a special education teacher at Underwood Middle School, while Heath Telleen teaches social studies at Underwood High School. The couple have been on paid administrative leave since mid-March.