The Sullivan County Sheriff's Office has concluded a two month investigation into the theft of narcotic pain patches from patients at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center in Liberty.

On Wednesday August 29, 2012, Sheriff's Detectives arrested 37 year old Robin Nash, a nurse’s aid, of Neversink, NY, 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 2 years. Nash was released on her own recognizance pending a September 13, 2012 appearance in the Town of Liberty Justice court.

Sheriff Mike Schiff said that this investigation illustrates the seriousness of our society's prescription drug abuse problem.