A former nurse at was sentenced to serve three years of probation last week for stealing hydromorphone from drug storage cabinets for her personal use.
Della Rae Thalin, 45, of New Richmond, Wis. was sentenced to probation by U.S. District Court Judge Ann D. Montgomery on Jan. 20 after Thalin pleaded guilty to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.
Thalin was charged by the U.S. Attorney's Office on Aug. 22 and pleaded guilty on Oct. 6.
She faced a maximum sentence of four years in prison.
In her plea agreement, Thalin admitted that between Feb. 25 and March 19, 2011, she obtained the hydromorphone by accessing drug storage cabinets using her unique user identification and password. She then removed it from the hospital for her personal use.
Thalin no longer works at Lakeview Hospital.
This case is the result of an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration-Office of Criminal Investigations, the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration and the .
It was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Kimberly A. Svendsen.
