Comment on Former nurse convicted of stealing pain meds from patients

CEDAR RAPIDS — A former nurse, who used patient identities to steal pain pills for himself while employed at Franklin General Hospital in Hampton, was convicted Monday in federal court. James A. Moorehead, 58, of Mason City, pleaded guilty Monday in U.S. District Court to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, deception, or subterfuge; one count of false statements relating to health care matters; and one count of aggravated identity theft.A plea agreement shows Moorehead, while employed at Franklin General as a registered nurse in 2016 and 2017, admitted he used patient identities to obtain controlled substances, specifically pills containing hydrocodone, by diverting their prescribed medication to himself and giving the patients over the counter pain pills.