HOLLIDAYSBURG — The traveling nurse who worked at UPMC Altoona in early 2023 and was accused of stealing narcotics from the hospital was sentenced to nine to 23 months’ incarceration Monday.

Chambersburg resident Janelle Anne Ford, 37, initially faced 32 felony counts of acquiring or obtaining a controlled substance through misrepresentation, including fentanyl and morphine, as well as two misdemeanor counts of recklessly endangering another person and a misdemeanor count of furnishing false information.

In late June, Ford appeared in front of Senior Judge Timothy M. Sullivan with defense attorney Thomas Dickey and entered a guilty plea to four felony counts of acquiring or obtaining a controlled substance through misrepresentation in exchange for the deal.

The defense requested Ford’s first nine months be served via electronic home monitoring so she could retain a job she had secured, Dickey said. The company told Ford they would be unable to hold her position if she were jailed but could work with her if she were under home confinement.

Dickey said Ford did not sell or distribute the drugs she stole as a traveling nurse, instead obtaining them for personal use. With Ford’s permission, Dickey told Sullivan that she had suffered severe childhood trauma that contributed to her actions, for which she was now receiving therapy.

Dickey said they weren’t trying to excuse Ford’s behavior because “she clearly understands the seriousness of this” and “is asking for what basically amounts to a second chance.”

He also pointed to the fact that Ford had no prior criminal record and voluntarily gave up her nursing license.

In speaking on her own behalf, Ford said the kids she was helping raise “don’t deserve what I did.”

“I can’t take it back,” Ford said through tears.

Senior Deputy Attorney General Michael Madeira told Sullivan he had no objection to the defense’s request for home monitoring.

In granting the request, Sullivan told Ford that his “hope is that you’ll prove me right.”

“Don’t let me down,” Sullivan said.

He told Ford he believed she deserved the full benefit of the plea agreement as it appeared she had made an effort “to turn her life around.”

“I’m going to give you a chance to prove yourself,” Sullivan said. “You’ll be answering to other people now.”

In addition to the home monitoring, Ford was ordered to pay $400 in fines, complete 50 hours of community service and continue therapy. She must also complete five years’ probation at the conclusion of her home monitoring. All other charges were then withdrawn and dismissed.

The charges were brought against Ford after she was indicted at the conclusion of a grand jury investigation in June 2024 based on her work in Blair, Luzerne, Lackawanna and Cumberland counties.

The grand jury report indicated that Ford, a registered nurse, used her short-term work assignments at health care facilities to steal opioid medication from automated dispensing cabinets with electronic controls for stocking and dispensing. The same report also accused Ford of making efforts to replace the drugs she stole with non-controlled substances to cover up her behavior.

Information within the grand jury report indicated that Ford’s crimes came to a halt on April 3, 2023, after UPMC Altoona filed a suspicious activity report.

Testimony revealed that Ford, during a 30-day period, had nearly 200 transactions at the dispensing cabinet, an amount described as significantly higher than the transactions conducted by most nurses.

Ben Meintel, a state AG narcotics agent who investigated with the assistance of UPMC Altoona personnel, told the grand jury that further reviews identified Ford’s criminal conduct was similar at other facilities, dating back to Aug. 27, 2021, when she worked at the Encompass Health Rehabilitation Center in Mechanicsburg and through 2022 when she worked at Geisinger Medical Center in Scranton and at Luzerne County General Hospital in Wilkes-Barre.

Mirror Staff Writer Rachel Foor-Musselman is at 814-946-7458.