A former Fort Riley nurse has been indicted on federal charges, after stealing a powerful painkiller.
Lana J. Pendergast, 56, of Clay Center, was charged with one count of unlawfully obtaining a controlled substance.
The indictment alleges that Pendergast began taking fentanyl for her own use – replacing stolen vials of the painkiller with saline as a cover up while working as a nurse at Irwin Army Hospital.
The fentanyl vials containing saline were disposed of.
If convicted, Pendergast faces a maximum penalty of four years in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000.
