After five theft convictions, nursing home worker faces licensing sanctions

An Iowa nursing home worker who has been convicted of theft on at least five occasions is now facing sanctions from state licensing officials.

The Iowa Board of Nursing has charged licensed practical nurse Sam Justin Cook, 47, of Ankeny with failing to notify the board of a criminal conviction within 30 days and with failing to respond to or comply with a board investigation or subpoena.

The board has released no information on the circumstances that gave rise to the charges. A hearing on the matter is scheduled for Oct. 15, 2026.

Court records show Cook, who has worked at the Bethany Life care facility in Story City and other Iowa nursing homes, has been convicted of theft on at least five occasions.

In December 2024, police charged Cook with theft after he allegedly entered a Casey’s General Store in Story County, stole three charging devices worth roughly $54, then traveled to a different Casey’s where he returned the items for a “refund.” He later pleaded guilty to a charge of fifth-degree theft and paid a fine of $105.

Within days of that arrest, police again charged Cook with theft, alleging he had entered a Hy-Vee store, selected an $18 can opener off the shelf, then walked to the customer-service area of the store and returned the item for a “refund” of $18. He later pleaded guilty to a charge of fifth-degree theft and paid a fine of $105.

Two weeks after the Hy-Vee arrest, Cook was again charged with theft, with police alleging he had entered a Hy-Vee store, taken a decorative pillow from the floral department, then collected a $24 “refund” from the store’s customer-service staff. The theft charge was later dismissed by Story County prosecutors.

Three months later, in March 2025, Cook was employed by one of ManorCare’s Iowa facilities when he was again charged with theft. Police alleged he entered a Menard’s store, selected three Dremel-tool products, then took them directly to the customer-service center, where he obtained $65 in store credit for the “returned” items. He was later convicted of third-degree theft and sentenced to one year of probation.

In court records related to that case, Cook acknowledged other, previous convictions for theft in 1998 and 2002.

State records indicate Cook has been a licensed practical nurse since 2005. In 2019, the Iowa Board of Nursing charged Cook with repeatedly leaving a nursing assignment without first ensuring the safety and welfare of patients and ordered Cook to complete 4.6 hours of educational training on professional responsibility and legal liability.

The Iowa Capital Dispatch was not able to reach Cook for comment.