Local News
Woman sentenced for stealing nursing home meds
CLINTON — A woman convicted of fraudulently obtaining pain management medication from three residents of the Alverno Health Care Facility in Clinton will serve probation instead of prison time for the offenses.
Carrie A. Garza, 35, of Morrison, pleaded guilty Thursday to three Class C felony charges of prohibited acts and three aggravated misdemeanor charges of wanton neglect of a resident at a health care facility.
According to court records, staff from The Alverno nursing home at 849 13th Ave. North reported suspicious activity to police Sept. 15, 2008. Staff said Fentanyl patches, used for pain management, had been removed from three female residents. Fentanyl is a powerful pain medication similar to morphine, but more potent.
A woman later identified as Garza had called The Alverno that afternoon, claiming to be a representative of the facility’s pharmaceutical provider, according to a court affidavit.
She claimed to have recall information for the Fentanyl and requested the names of the patients using the medication at The Alverno, court records state.
She reportedly arrived at the home a short time after the call and was directed by staff to the rooms of Rosemary Sparks, Helen Parsons and Virginia Lange. According to the court affidavit, she removed the patches from the women and left the facility.
Clinton police received a report Sept. 19 that Garza had been arrested for similar incidents in Rock Falls, Ill. She was identified in a photo lineup to one of the nurses working at The Alverno at the time of the incident. Police also traced the number used to place The Alverno call to Garza.
Because she has already completed substance abuse treatment for a drug addiction, Garza was ordered last week to serve two years of supervised probation pending good behavior.
The court suspended three 10-year prison sentences and three two-year prison sentences, which would have run concurrently for a maximum of 10 years. The court also suspended fines on the charges.
As part of her probation, Garza must pay victim restitution. She must also continue substance abuse treatment, abstain from using controlled substances and submit to random drug tests.
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