CASCO NURSE PLEADS GUILTY TO STEALING DRUGS IN NURSING HOME
April 24, 2001
APRIL 24, 2001
CONTACT: Kerry O'brien, Assistant Attorney General
207-626-8800
Attorney General Steven Rowe announced today that Joy Lagasse, R.N.,
44, of Casco, pled guilty Friday in Superior Court in Portland to one
count of Stealing Drugs, a Class D crime. Rowe stated, "It is very troubling
when health care professionals responsible for our most vulnerable citizens
steal drugs."
The offense occurred in October of 1999 while Lagasse worked as the director
of nursing at Ledgewood Manor Nursing Home in North Windham.
Justice G. Arthur Brennan of the Maine Superior Court sentenced Lagasse
to a six month term of imprisonment, all suspended, with one year of probation
and a $400 fine. As special conditions of probation, Lagasse may not possess
alcohol or illegal drugs, must agree to undergo a substance abuse evaluation,
and must abide by the conditions of a prior consent agreement with the
Board of Nursing. Under that consent agreement, the Nursing Board placed
Lagasse on probation for one year. She may not work in a home health care
setting, and her nursing employment is restricted to supervised facilities.
Attorney General Rowe stated: "This office will prosecute health care
professionals whose conduct jeopardizes the health and well being of the
patients they are obligated to care for and protect."
Detective Scott Michaud of the Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) in
the Maine Attorney General's Office investigated the case and MFCU Director
Kerry O'Brien prosecuted it. The MFCU is a state and federally funded
entity with statewide jurisdiction to prosecute fraud by Medicaid providers
and patient abuse in Medicaid facilities. Forty-eight states and the District
of Columbia have MFCUs.
