Ex-employee accused of stealing $4.4M from plant nursery in rural McMinnville

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    YAMHILL COUNTY, OR (KPTV) — A former employee is facing charges for stealing approximately $4.4 million from a plant nursery in rural McMinnville, according to the Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies arrested Jeanna Lee Buxton, 61, of La Pine, after months of investigation.

Oregon Pride Nursery filed a criminal report involving suspected fraud on Feb. 24 after finding suspicious transactions and performing an extensive audit of their books, the sheriff’s office says.

The nursery worked with an accounting firm and the sheriff’s office, identifying that from 2013 until 2019, Buxton embezzled approximately $4.4 million, according to investigators.

Buxton was arrested on an outstanding warrant on Monday and lodged at the Deschutes County Correctional Facility in Bend. She is facing 21 counts of aggravated theft in the first degree.

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