A licensed practical nurse contracted by Ohio State to work at the Franklin County jail was arrested Monday night for smuggling prescription drugs into the jail for inmates.
Joyce E. Lutz, who has been a nurse for 18 years, was arrested when deputies confronted her at work and found more than 120 pills in her purse. Another 130 pills were found in her car.
Included in these pills was the painkiller Percocet, according to local media.
At least 21 of the pills are classified as dangerous drugs, which means they can be dispensed only by prescriptions, according to local media.
Lutz, who was assigned to the Jackson Pike jail, is being charged with one count of conveyance of prescription drugs into the Franklin County jail, a third-degree felony that carries a maximum penalty of five years in jail and a $10,000 fine.
“We were suspicious of inappropriate activity, and once we gathered evidence to support it we made arrangements with the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department to make the arrest,” said Jerry Siegel, the senior director of pharmacy for the OSU Medical Center.
One of Lutz’s duties was to administer medication to the inmates. It is standard for all areas with medication to be under surveillance, Siegel said.
OSU has a contract with the county to provide licensed nurses and medical care at the jail. Lutz had been working at the jail since December.
Lutz has been put on administrative leave, pending the results of an investigation, Siegel said.
Lutz was arraigned yesterday at the Franklin County Municipal Court.
