Nurse accused of forging prescriptions

A Hooper man who is a licensed registered nurse and is accused of forging prescriptions turned himself into authorities Wednesday afternoon.

Robert Stanton, 28, turned himself in to the Dodge County Sheriff’s Office. Stanton had a warrant for his arrest for four counts of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.

Detective Matt Hultquist of the Fremont Police Department said the incidents took place between July and September at local pharmacies. Hultquist said Stanton was employed in the medical field.

On its Web site, the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services lists Stanton as a licensed registered nurse. He first received his license in 2004. It does not expire until Oct. 31, 2010.

Stanton posted a $2,500 cash bond for the Dodge County warrant and a $2,500 cash bond for a warrant out of Cuming County.

Cuming County Attorney Tom Donner said the warrant was for two counts of attempting to acquire or obtain possession of a controlled substance.

Court documents showed Fremont Police first found out about Stanton on Sept. 20 when he called a Fremont pharmacy and used the name “Pat” to call in a prescription from the main line at Fremont Area Medical Center.

When the pharmacist called back to investigate, he was told that the call came from a room in A.J. Merrick Manor. When an employee at the nursing home went into the room, she found Stanton on the phone.

When the employee left to notify security, Stanton fled the building.

Police then checked with another pharmacy and discovered Stanton had used phony names to secure prescriptions.

FAMC officials confirmed that Stanton was an employee at the hospital.

“Mr. Stanton is a former employee of Fremont Area Medical Center, and we are aware of his situation,” FAMC spokesperson Jackie Beaton said. “We wish him well in resolving the situation.”

Court documents also showed Stanton was advised by his attorney, Michael Tasset of Oakland, to enter inpatient treatment in South Dakota.

Tasset was attending a conference Thursday and had not returned a phone call by press time today.