DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN)— A registered nurse accused of stealing pain pills from her patients has been placed in a diversion program to get her charges dismissed, court documents show.
According to an indictment, in April 2020, April Norris went to Southeast Medicine Shop and picked up Oxycodone for her patient, but instead of giving it to the patient, she kept the medicine for herself. She was indicted by a grand jury in 2021, but wasn’t arrested until nearly two years later.
On Tuesday, Norris pleaded guilty to possession of drugs by fraud, but Houston County Judge Todd Derrick withheld the conviction and placed the nurse in a pre-trial diversion program. This is an option sometimes given to first-time, non-violent offenders.
Court documents state that if Norris completes the program and the court receives written confirmation of the completion from District Attorney Russ Goodman’s office, her charges will be dismissed.
The Alabama Nursing Board website states Norris’s Registered Nurse license was active as of Tuesday afternoon.