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March 24, 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Former VA Nurse Indicted for Stealing
Controlled Substances

MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA — A 27 year old Martinsburg, West Virginia, resident was indicted on March 15, 2011, by a Federal Grand Jury sitting in Martinsburg, West Virginia.

United States Attorney William J. Ihlenfeld, II, announced that LISA D. KIRK was named in a 56-count Indictment. The Indictment alleges that KIRK, who was a Registered Nurse at the VA Medical Center in Martinsburg, acquired and obtained controlled substances by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, and deception on 56 occasions from December 28, 2008, to June 21, 2009. The Indictment further alleges that KIRK obtained the controlled substances using the Pyxis account assigned and authorized to her through her employment at the VA Medical Center, but instead of administering the medications to the patient to whom the substances were prescribed, KIRK kept the controlled substances for personal use. The controlled substances included Oxycodone, Oxycodone/APAP, Morphine, Lorazepam, Hydromorphone, and Hydrocodone/APAP.

KIRK has had an initial appearance is currently free on bond.

If convicted, KIRK faces a maximum penalty of four years imprisonment and a fine of $250,000 on each of the 56 counts.

The case will be prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Erin K. Reisenweber. The case was investigated by the United States Department of Veterans Administration, Office of Inspector General and the Department of Veterans Affairs Police Department.

It should be noted that the charges contained in the Indictment are merely accusations and not evidence of guilt, and that each defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.