A Dover woman, 46, became the first person convicted for violating the Delaware Prescription Monitoring Act.
Michele Staats, former nursing director of Kent Sussex Community Services, was found guilty after a five-day Superior Court bench trial. She was convicted of three felony counts of Unauthorized Access of Prescription Monitoring Information, and one felony count of Making a False Statement.
For a 16-month period beginning in January of 2014, Staats, using the login credentials of her employer, accessed the Prescription Monitoring Program information of three people who were not her patients.
Staats also made several false statements denying her responsibility to investigators, according to prosecutors.
Established by the legislature in 2010, the goal of the Delaware Prescription Monitoring Act is to help reduce the misuse and diversion of controlled substances while promoting improved professional practice and patient care.
Staats will be sentenced in June.