A former hospice nurse faces a period of house arrest for stealing controlled substances as a result of a Friday sentence.

Michele L. Wills, 56, Warren, pleaded last month to charges of acquiring or obtaining possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, a felony, as well as misdemeanor theft by deception.

Wills was sentenced to five years restrictive probation including six months restrictive — 37 days inpatient treatment and the rest on house arrest — as well as compliance with treatment recommendations, $600 in fines and fees, submission of a DNA sample and 80 hours of community service on the felony charge as well as one year probation and 20 hours of community service on the theft by deception offense.

District Attorney Rob Greene emphasized that no patients were injured as a result of this conduct.

Charges were initially filed in March by the state’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation under the Office of the Attorney General.

The substances alleged were morphine, ritalin and oxycodone.

Investigators detail in the affidavit of probable cause that they were contacted by staff at Hospice of Warren County on Aug. 24, 2020. Hospice reported that “a registered nurse named Michelle Wills was employed with (the) agency until last month when they had conducted an internal investigation into her suspected drug diversion and had ultimately terminated Wills from her employment after a positive drug test.”

The internal investigation found that Wills “had filled three prescriptions for patients that were not necessary and that she had kept the controlled substances or they believed Wills kept and used the controlled substances based on a drug test Wills submitted to.”

Hospice staff stated that the internal investigation revealed that none of the patients involved were harmed by Wills’ alleged conduct.

Greene said the parties involved agree Wills needs treatment more than incarceration.

Her attorney, Thomas Brasco, said her client has been a nurse since 1992 and outlined all of her treatment steps since these charges were filed.

Wills apologized and said she’s “not that person when she’s not using.”

Hammond acknowledged that she appears to have immediately sought help once charged but said it would have been a “completely different conversation” if patients had been harmed.