Nurse Pleads to Stealing Drugs in Northwest Missouri

A traveling nurse has admitted to stealing three patches containing the synthetic opioid fentanyl in northwest Missouri.

The St. Joseph News-Press reports that 38-year-old Kimberly Wickham pleaded guilty Thursday in Buchanan County to possession of a controlled substance. As part of the plea deal, prosecutors agreed to file no other charges.

Wickham admitted to using her emergency room position at Mosaic Life Care to attend to a patient at home. She said she stole the patches while in the home. She said she's been addicted to opiates like fentanyl for a long time. She's on probation for a similar crime in New York.

Sentencing is set for Feb. 9. The Missouri charge carries a sentence of up to seven years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.