Missouri nurse busted for stealing fentanyl

CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – A Missouri nurse who stole fentanyl left behind at a hospital while working has been sentenced to three years of probation.

A federal judge also ordered the nurse, 35-year-old Lindsey Francis, to 200 hours of community service and a $5,000 fine. She will also be required to undergo drug treatment and will be tested in random drug screenings.

Francis was formerly a nurse at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau. According to an indictment, in January 2022, a colleague discovered a used syringe in a locker room in the hospital’s emergency department. Investigators determined it had been tampered with and later determined that Francis had used it due to work and personal stress, per the indictment.

Authorities say less than four grams of fentanyl were stolen. Prior to her sentencing, Francis pled guilty to one count of unlawfully acquiring a controlled substance earlier this year.