Former nurses convicted of stealing drugs

By Alex Bridges - abridges@nvdaily.com

WINCHESTER -- A judge convicted two former nurses Wednesday of stealing drugs from residents at a retirement community in 2009.

Leah Ann Corbett, 25, of Augusta, W.Va., pleaded guilty in Frederick County Circuit Court to one misdemeanor count each of possession of hydrocodone, possession of tramadol and petty larceny, the latter charge added as part of an agreement reached between the commonwealth and her attorney, David Hensley.

Under Corbett's agreement, which Judge John Prosser accepted, the court dismissed her two felony counts of prescription fraud.

Prosser sentenced Corbett to 12 months in jail, with all but eight days suspended, for petty larceny and 12 months, all suspended, for possession of hydrocodone. Prosser found her guilty of possession of Tramadol but imposed no sentence. She must pay $1,000 in fines and serve 12 months of unsupervised probation.

Amy Lynn Eaton, 27, of Strasburg, pleaded guilty to misdemeanor possession of tramadol and petty larceny, the latter charge added as part of an agreement between prosecutors and her attorney, Chris Collins. The judge dismissed Eaton's prescription fraud charge under the deal.

Prosser deferred disposition of Eaton's possession charge until April 7, 2011. The judge sentenced her May 28 to 12 months, all suspended, for petty larceny and ordered her to pay a $500 fine.

Corbett and Eaton worked at Westminster-Canterbury at the time they committed the offenses between July 1, 2009, and Oct. 20, 2009, according to Commonwealth's Attorney Glenn Williamson.

Both women's nurse aide licenses, and Corbett's registration as a medication aide, issued through the Virginia Department of Health Professions, were suspended indefinitely on June 1, according to agency orders. Video surveillance showed Corbett and Eaton taking medication from residents of the facility, Williamson said. Corbett initially denied stealing the drugs when confronted by her supervisors, he said. A urine sample tested positive for the drugs she took, the prosecutor said. Eaton admitted to stealing the drugs as soon as supervisors questioned her, according to Williamson.

Members of Corbett's family appeared in court to support her, and several became emotional as the judge pronounced the sentence. Corbett testified she takes care of her ill father in Green Spring, W.Va., and lives with her mother in Augusta. She received a medical-related honorable discharge from the U.S. Army to raise her son, now 5 years old.

When asked by the prosecutor whether her actions kept any of the victims from taking their prescription medications, Corbett she didn't know.

Williamson asked for Corbett to serve one month of a 12-month term. Hensley argued the court should suspend the entire term, citing Eaton's case.

Corbett admitted to an agency investigator she stole drugs from Westminster-Canterbury residents and consumed Dilaudid, medications for which she had no prescription, according to the order filed by the department.

"[Corbett] sought and received counseling and support through the West Virginia Prescription Drug Abuse Quitline but did not provide a date," the order states.

A similar order issued in Eaton's case stated that she admitted to stealing and using Tramadol "because '[it] gave [her] a buzz' and 'to escape reality.'"

Eaton told nursing board members in April she would wait until medication was delivered to a resident's room, then steal the drug when the person left for dinner, the order states. Eaton admitted to stealing 10-15 pills at a time, two to three times per week, according to the order.

She told an investigator of her history of prescription drug abuse and subsequent treatment for anxiety and then depression.

Eaton apologized to administrators and asked them to pass that on to the residents she stole from, her order states.

Westminster-Canterbury terminated Corbett's and Eaton's employment Oct. 27, 2009, their orders state.