Rochester nurse faces felony charges for patient abuse – Post Bulletin

KASSON, Minn. — A Rochester nurse is facing assault charges for allegedly abusing a vulnerable adult under his care.

James William Mackey, 63, faces felony charges of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and abuse by a caregiver along with gross misdemeanor charges of fourth-degree assault of a vulnerable adult.

He is scheduled to make his initial appearance on the charges in Dodge County District Court Tuesday, Dec. 30, 2025.

According to court records, the Minnesota Adult Abuse Reporting Center was alerted to abuses of a vulnerable adult in a home health care setting under Mackey’s care. The investigation found that the patient “had an unusual number of incidents requiring hospitalization” after being in Mackey’s care.

Investigators reviewed home surveillance video that recorded Mackey roughly handling the bedridden patient. Mackey’s actions include improper use of the patient’s trachea tube, putting a suction tube too far down the patient’s throat causing him to gag and struggle to breath and improper range of motion exercises in which he yanked and slammed the patient’s limbs hard onto the bed. Mackey also allegedly used his finger to penetrate the patient’s rectum and later threatened to do it again if the patient didn’t go to sleep.

The reports state Mackey is seen on video switching the feeding and medication tubes for the patient, causing each to be administered through the wrong tube.

In the video, Mackey is recorded calling the patient a “good dog” and telling the patient to bark, and is seen pulling the patient up by his hair and hitting the patient on the chest and head.

The investigations were conducted in early December with the alleged abuse happening Nov. 22, 26 and 28, 2025. A witness interviewed in the investigation said the patient has been taken to the hospital several times and that every time was right after Mackey had worked with him, according to the criminal complaint.

According to court documents, Mackey described his actions as “little tricks” for treating the patient.