BEVERLY, Mass. (AP) — A former nurse who worked at Beverly Hospital for about two months has agreed to plead guilty to stealing opioid pain medication from the emergency room there in 2016, according to court documents.
Mark Croft, 48, of West Boylston, was charged by federal prosecutors last month with obtaining drugs by fraud and tampering with a consumer product, The Salem News reported Wednesday.
The complaint alleges that Croft used the information of two patients to access an automated dispensing machine, where he withdrew prefilled syringes containing painkillers. Croft took the medications for his own use, according to court documents.
He was hired despite the fact he was facing disciplinary action by the Board of Registration in Nursing involving alleged misconduct at three other medical facilities, according to state records. He did not disclose those allegations to Beverly Hospital.
Hospital spokeswoman Jennifer Rosenberg said no patients were affected by the thefts and additional safeguards have been implemented.
Under the terms of a plea agreement filed in U.S. District Court, prosecutors are expected to ask that Croft serve 3 1/2 years in prison at a Jan. 28 hearing.
A message was left with Croft’s attorney.
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