A critical care nurse in Oregon is facing 44 counts of aggravated assault for allegedly stealing her liquid fentanyl pain medication and replacing it with tap water to sell. Dani Marie Schofield, a 36-year-old nurse, pleaded not guilty in Jackson County Superior Court.
According to KDRV, the grand jury indictment states that he caused infections by replacing medications with water at Asante Rogue Regional Medical Center in Medford. Details of the accusations against Schofield will become clear during the court process.
Schofield’s detention status was determined by the bail decision. The court set the nurse’s bail at $4 million. Schofield’s lawyer requested the release of his client, but the bail amount was determined by the court was found to be high.
Following a seven-month investigation by the Medford Police Department, Schofield was arrested last Thursday. The investigation began with the suspicion that Asante had put a spigot on the medicines reserved for his patients in December and that he might have hidden the medicines to sell. Investigators allege Schofield replaced 44 patients’ liquid fentanyl with water, leading to infections.
Medford Police Chief Justin Ivens stated that 16 patients died, but it was not clear whether the deaths were caused by infections.
Schofield faces second-degree assault charges for each patient. Asante President Tom Gessel announced that police arrested a suspect in connection with the “theft of fentanyl.”
