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Published 4:30 pm, Monday, September 19, 2016

A Saginaw woman accused of stealing narcotics from a locked medication box at a Midland assisted living community is facing felony charges.

Christie Jo Savage, 41, is charged with larceny in a building and two counts of possession of analogues.

The investigation began when the company that supplies narcotics to the Stratford Pines Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, 2121 Rockwell Drive, contacted staff there on Jan. 5 to report a discrepancy with a lock box, an affidavit filed in the case states. The company supplies full boxes of narcotics along with an inventory sheet, and only authorized individuals can access the box to provide medications for patients.

The affidavit states employees of the center looked into the report, and found video footage of a person entering the room where the medication box is located. They also discovered a badge belonging to another employee was used to enter the room.

Stolen were four vials of morphine, four morphine tablets, one vial of Valium, 10 vials of Ativan and one bottle Ativan.

The two counts of possession of analogues list morphine and Valium.

Savage was arraigned on the charges by Midland County Magistrate Gerald Ladwig. Ladwig set bond at $10,000, 10 percent, which has been posted. Bond conditions include no use or possession of drugs and alcohol, random drug screening and Savage may not enter Stratford Pines.

The case has been bound over to the circuit court.

Savage is being represented by attorney Lee Burton of Midland.

Court records show prosecutors have offered a plea agreement calling for a guilty plea to larceny in a building and one count of possession of analogues, in return for the dismissal of the final count.

The case is set for a pretrial conference on Oct. 6 before Midland County Circuit Court Judge Stephen P. Carras.

Larceny in a building is punishable by up to four years in prison, and possession of analogues is punishable by up to two years in prison.