A onetime manager of a Walgreens in Lakeville was charged Monday with stealing hundreds of potent prescription pills from the drugstore, then admitting that she stole the drugs to get high.

Aimee S. Juenemann, 30, of Lakeville, was charged in Dakota County District Court by summons with first-degree possession of a controlled substance, a felony.

According to the complaint:

A loss-prevent manager for the store on Kenwood Trail, near 175th Street, notified police on May 3 that Juenemann admitted stealing 1,300 prescription pills within three minutes on April 21 from the pharmacy. Surveillance video showed Juenemann taking pill bottles from a secured controlled-substance cabinet.

Police received five sheets from the loss-prevent manager detailing the drugs that were stolen, valued at roughly $9,000.

Officers encountered Juenemann in the employee conference room, where she told them she wanted to return the pills so should could avoid being incarcerated. Police searched Juenemann's purse and found many types of pill.

A police search of her home turned up many containers with pills, as well as marijuana, methamphetamine, a digital scale and handwritten plans to steal drugs from the pharmacy.

Among the drugs in Juenemann's possession were: Ambien, Xanax, Vicodin and Adderall.

Juenemann admitted to officers that she grabbed from the pharmacy all the drugs that she could carry. She denied selling the pills, saying they were strictly for her own use.

Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482