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State investigators charged a former Washington Hospital nurse with allegedly stealing opioid painkillers from the hospital while he worked there earlier this year.

Patrick Wehman, 36, of Prigg Road, Canton Township, was arraigned Tuesday before District Judge Robert Redlinger on charges of theft and possessing drugs by deception.

The investigation by the state attorney general’s office, which filed charges that day, reportedly began when hospital officials notified authorities of alleged diversions of prescription drugs in the hospital.

Internal audits by the hospital allegedly showed discrepancies in disbursements of medication from the hospital automated drug cabinet withdrawals “related to Wehman’s access” to those cabinets between May 1 and June 19, while he worked there as a registered nurse.

“Doses were given outside of orders (more frequent), duplicate therapies were indicated (oral meds, and injections in close proximity), charting discrepancies and doses were withdrawn and not charted as administered to patients,” Agent Andrew Sakmar of the office’s Narcotics Investigation and Drug Control Bureau wrote in an affidavit of probable cause supporting the charges.

Those transactions allegedly resulted in 67 tablets of oxycodone, four tablets of hydrocodone, 27 milliliters of hydromorphone and 17 milliliters of morphine for which the hospital couldn’t account. Wehman reportedly was interviewed by hospital managers June 19, submitted to drug screening and “ultimately made admissions” to a hospital human resources manager “related to diverting medications from the hospital,” according to court records.

Hospital spokeswoman Stephanie Wagoner said Wehman is no longer employed at the hospital. She declined further comment on the case.

Ansley Westbrook II, who is listed in court papers as Wehman’s attorney, couldn’t immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.

Sakmar alleged in court papers that Wehman admitted to having diverted the medications during that time period.

He also reportedly told Sakmar in an interview earlier this month that “patient care/safety was not compromised by his actions and patients were properly medicated,” Sakmar wrote. “He stated that he acquired medications through duplicate or unnecessary transactions which were solely for his personal use to self-medicate for back pain.”

Wehman was placed on $10,000 unsecured bond. He faces a preliminary hearing Nov. 8.