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GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A former U.S. Postal Service worker was placed on probation for stealing pain medication from packages intended for U.S. Veterans Affairs, court documents show.
Sabrina Smith said she took the medication after being diagnosed with Multiple Scleroris and being unable to obtain enough medication from her doctor to deal with the pain, court records showed.
She was sentenced Friday, Feb. 24, by U.S. Magistrate Judge Ellen Carmody to one year on probation and fined $500 after she pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of unauthorized opening of mail.
Prosecutors did not seek a felony charge or imprisonment because Smith immediately took full responsibility for her actions when caught and resigned, Assistant U.S. Attorney Raymond Beckering III said in court records.
Defense attorney Christopher Renna said that “this offense arose out of Ms. Smith’s poor decision making in regards to her medical conditions. She maintains that she does not abuse prescription medications but was struggling with pain and related complications from her Multiple Scleroris.”
He said she understands that that did not justify her actions.
She has been receiving better care, the attorney wrote in a sentencing memorandum.
She has a new job but does not receive the same pay or benefits she had at the Postal Service, where she had worked from 2011 to early 2016.
The Office of Inspector General, U.S. Postal Service, began investigating missing medication after receiving a Feb, 2, 2016, complaint that Veterans Affairs in Grand Rapids reported that several medication parcels were missing.
Investigators covertly watched workers at the Processing and Distribution Center in Grand Rapids.
Smith was observed handling a prescription medical parcel.
Beckering described the theft: “Ms. Smith rolled up the medication parcel within the packaging, removed the glove she was wearing on her left hand, and placed the parcel inside the glove. Mr. Smith then took off her right glove and placed it on top of the left gloved. Agents observed Ms. Smith walk across the workroom floor and enter the ladies’ room.”
Special agent Sarah King confronted Smith there. Smith removed the package from her purse and gave it to the investigator.
Smith immediately admitted to “making a huge mistake,” Beckering said.
She admitted she began stealing prescription medication in fall 2015, but not more than two packages a month. She learned to identify drugs inside the parcels by the rattling of pills, she said.
She would discard packaging and labels at a gas station on her way home. She said she had mostly taken Vicodin, but once took morphine. She admitted once sharing stolen medication with a friend but denied selling any pills.
In a statement, she apologized. She said she took the medication “out of desperation” because of severe pain.
“I am completely embarrassed of my actions. I let my personal problems control my actions at work & I am so sorry!”