BORDERLAND

Nurse to go to treatment for stealing painkillers

7/2/2014

A former nurse at Regency Hospital was granted intervention in lieu of conviction Tuesday for stealing drugs from her former employer.

Ceara Barta, 32, of Wyandotte, Mich., pleaded guilty to theft of drugs, a fourth-degree felony, for stealing the painkiller Dilaudid, which was intended for a patient last August. Lucas County Common Pleas Judge James Bates withheld a finding of guilt in the case, instead placing her in treatment under the supervision of the probation department for three years.

During that time, Ms. Barta is to undergo substance abuse and mental-health screening and treatment, undergo random drug testing, maintain full-time employment, and commit no new offenses. If she violates these conditions, Judge Bates said he could find her guilty and send her to prison for a year.