An Olympia woman faces up to two years in prison after she allegedly stole at least 30 oxycodone pills from the Centralia care facility she worked at.
Kearsten E. Shotwell, 39, is charged with one count of violation of the Uniform Controlled Substances Act.
According to charging documents, Shotwell is accused of knowingly or intentionally obtaining the oxycodone through fraud, deceit, misrepresentation or subterfuge.
Shotwell made a preliminary appearance in Lewis County Superior Court on Wednesday in response to a summons issued on Sept. 1. She remains out of custody after a judge granted her release in lieu of setting bail.
Shotwell is scheduled for an arraignment on Sept. 24.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Centralia police began investigating on July 14 after receiving a complaint of missing medication from a local care facility.
On July 9, 60 tablets were reported missing. On July 10, an additional 22 pills were reported missing.
Prosecutors said two patients at the facility were listed as having missing medication. They did not name the facility in the affidavit.
According to the affidavit, management requested urine tests from the nurses with access to the pills. Shotwell’s test allegedly came back positive for the missing medication.
“At one point during the process, the defendant was caught trying to enter the medication room,” prosecutors wrote in the affidavit. “When confronted and questioned, the defendant handed in her keys, gathered her belongings, and left the building.”
Shotwell allegedly admitted to stealing 30 10-mg oxycodone pills during a telephone interview.
