A Marion County nurse was arrested for grand theft after she was allegedly caught on video stealing a patient’s oxycodone while on duty.

On Thursday, March 19, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to The Refuge located at 14835 SE 85th Street in Ocklawaha in reference to the theft of a controlled substance. The treatment center alleged that an on-duty nurse, identified as 62-year-old Janet Gayle Perry, had stolen a bottle of oxycodone that was prescribed to a patient, according to the arrest report.

The deputy noted that the incident was captured on video surveillance footage. Specifically, at around 9:47 p.m. on Wednesday, March 18, Perry was observed inside the treatment center’s prescription room in order to administer medication.

While in the room, Perry reportedly unlocked a medicine cabinet and began “looking through” the various prescription bottles. She then allegedly appeared to “slide an object inside of her shirt to conceal it.”

When Perry moved away from the cabinet, the deputy observed on the footage that one of the prescription bottles was missing. An employee informed the deputy that this missing bottle contained oxycodone.

In addition, Perry allegedly removed the prescription log for the missing oxycodone “in order to conceal that the bottle was received from the manufacturer,” according to the report.

The deputy mentioned in the report that Perry was the only person in the prescription room at the time of the theft. The following afternoon, the treatment center’s nursing staff discovered that the prescription log and bottle of oxycodone were both missing.

The deputy contacted Perry over the phone. She advised that she was in Salt Springs, and she reportedly refused to meet with law enforcement for an interview.

Perry was placed under arrest and booked into Marion County Jail on Friday, March 20. She was released the next day after posting bond, and she is being charged with grand theft of a controlled substance.  

Jail records show that Perry is scheduled to appear in a Marion County courtroom at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, April 21.