AUGUSTA — A registered nurse from Norridgewock pleaded guilty to a felony charge of stealing drugs from Central Maine Endoscopy Center of Waterville, where she worked, but she could avoid a felony conviction if she complies with terms of a 12-month deferred disposition.
Trina M. Littlefield, 35, was indicted on a charge of taking fentanyl, a pain reliever and muscle relaxant belonging to the clinic, between Oct. 1, 2014, and Oct. 9, 2014.
She entered the plea Thursday during a hearing at the Capital Judicial Center.
Assistant District Attorney Francis Griffin said another nurse who worked at the facility found that plastic had been torn on a box of fentanyl in a locked drug cabinet to which she and Littlefield had the combination.
The other nurse also saw a second instance as well as some blood droplets on the bathroom floor, and she and the doctor became suspicious of Littlefield. Griffin said Maine Endoscopy Center does not use syringes.
Littlefield’s attorney, Brad Grant, said Littlefield took responsibility for her actions and “felt awful for the doctor.” He said Littlefield entered Mercy Recovery Center in Westbrook for treatment.
Conditions of the deferred disposition require Littlefield to refrain from use or possession of drugs and alcohol and prohibit her from being on the property of the Maine Endoscopy Center.
If she complies, she can return to court on Nov. 10, 2016, and withdraw the plea to the felony and instead plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge and be sentenced to 364 days in jail, all suspended, and be placed on administrative release for a year. She also will be fined $400.
If Littlefield fails to meet the conditions, the judge warned her she could be sentenced on the felony charge, which carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a $5,000 fine.
Her registered nursing license is suspended. Both Grant and Justice Andrew Horton told her that a conviction on either charge could affect her ability to work in the health care field.
Betty Adams — 621-5631
Twitter: @betadams
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.