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COSHOCTON – A former Coshocton Regional Medical Center nurse faces felony drug charges alleging she took morphine and other drugs from the hospital and trafficked in others while on duty.
Heather D. Blanchard, 43, of 478 Springbrook Drive SW, New Philadelphia, is charged with three counts of theft of drugs, fourth-degree felonies, and two counts of trafficking in drugs, fifth-degree felonies.
A Coshocton County grand jury handed down those charges Friday, but officials just released them to the public Tuesday.
The theft charges allege she stole morphine, midazolam and folic acid from the hospital between June and Nov. 20 of this year.
According to WebMD, morphine is a narcotic pain reliever; midazolam decreases anxiety; and folic acid is one of the B vitamins.
The trafficking charges accuse Blanchard of selling buprenorphine, also known as naloxone, a Schedule III controlled substance used to treat opioid addiction, on Nov. 4 and 8, according to her indictment.
Deputies arrested her while she was on duty at the hospital Nov. 8.
During a bond hearing Nov. 9 in Coshocton Municipal Court, Blanchard told Judge Timothy France she had been taking prescription painkillers since an accident two years ago, and had been employed at the hospital as a registered nurse until her arrest.
France set bond then at 10 percent of $2,500, which she posted Nov. 10, according to the Municipal Court Clerk’s Office.
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