Nash

LIBERTY – A nurse's aide at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center in Liberty has been arrested by Sullivan County Sheriff's investigators following a two-month investigation into the theft of narcotic Fentanyl pain patches from cancer patients.

Sheriff's detectives arrested 37-year-old Robin Nash of Neversink on Wednesday and charged her with larceny, criminal possession of a controlled substance, and tampering with evidence.

Supervisors at the county's nursing home alerted deputies in late June when they noticed Fentanyl patches missing from several patients at the facility.

Fentanyl is a powerful narcotic pain killer that is applied as a patch to the skin, and absorbed by the body. The medicine is typically prescribed to cancer patients.

When medical staff applied the patches and later went to retrieve them from patients, the patches were missing.

"As the investigation progressed, Robin Nash became a person of interest," said Sheriff's Chief of Patrol Blake Muthig. Nash was picked up last Wednesday and while being questioned in the detectives' office, attempted to swallow a piece of Fentanyl patch that she still had in her possession. Nash admitted to stealing 25 Fentanyl patches over the last two years.

Nash was released on her own recognizance pending a future appearance in the Town of Liberty Justice Court.
Sheriff Michael Schiff said that this investigation illustrates the seriousness of our society's prescription drug abuse problem.