FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEWS RELEASE
August 11, 2015
For More Information, contact:
Luther Strange
Mike Lewis (334) 353-2199
Alabama Attorney General
Joy Patterson (334) 242-7491
Page 1 of 1
AG ANNOUNCES ARREST OF A LIMESTONE COUNTY LICENSED
PRACTICAL NURSE FOR THEFT OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES
(MONTGOMERY) – Attorney General Luther Strange announced the arrest of a
former employee of an Athens area rehabilitation center and senior care facility for theft
of hydrocodone. Britney Lauren Forsyth, 29, of Athens was arrested on August 6 by the
Limestone County Sheriff’s office on the warrant and released on $2,500 bond.
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit presented evidence to a
Limestone County grand jury resulting in an indictment* on July 24 charging Forsyth
with theft of property in the second degree. The charges allege that Forsyth, a licensed
practical nurse at Athens Rehabilitation Center and Senior Care, caused several
prescriptions for Hydrocodone– an opioid that is a schedule 2 controlled substance– to
be filled before they were actually needed. She then picked up the prescriptions, but
did not record and store them for distribution to the patients. This was discovered
when staff at the facility attempted to call in the correct refill prescriptions. Forsyth also
attempted to conceal the theft by manipulating the required narcotic documentation
log.
Theft of property in the second degree is a class C felony with a possible sentence
of a year and a day to ten years incarceration in the Alabama Department of
Corrections. Because Hydrocodone is a controlled substance the theft is automatically
classified as in the second degree.
Attorney General Strange commended the staff and administration of Athens
Rehabilitation Center and Senior Care, as well as his Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for
the investigation of the case.
*An indictment is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
–30–
501 Washington Avenue * Montgomery, AL 36104 * (334) 242-7300
www.ago.state.al.us
