SCRANTON - The United States Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Pennsylvania announced today that Janice M. Matrician, age 50, of Tamaqua, Pennsylvania has been charged with acquiring narcotics by fraud or misrepresentation in connection to an incident at the Veterans Administration Hospital located in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania on May 22, 2015.
According to United States Attorney Bruce D. Brandler, Matrician, a Nurse employed by the Veterans Administration Hospital, is charged with obtaining narcotics by fraud or misrepresentation. Matrician is alleged to have stolen narcotics by representing in the hospital’s computerized automated distribution system that she had disposed of them, when in fact she was keeping the drugs for her own personal use.
The investigation was conducted by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Police and is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd K. Hinkley.
Criminal Informations are only allegations. All persons charged are presumed to be innocent unless and until found guilty in court.
A sentence following a finding of guilt is imposed by the Judge after consideration of the applicable federal sentencing statutes and the Federal Sentencing Guidelines.
The maximum penalty under federal law is four years of imprisonment, a term of supervised release following imprisonment, and a $250,000 fine. Under the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, the Judge is also required to consider and weigh a number of factors, including the nature, circumstances and seriousness of the offense; the history and characteristics of the defendant; and the need to punish the defendant, protect the public and provide for the defendant's educational, vocational and medical needs. For these reasons, the statutory maximum penalty for the offense is not an accurate indicator of the potential sentence for a specific defendant.
Source: U.S. Department of Justice, Office of the United States Attorneys
