Southern Tier Nurse Convicted of Stealing Oxycodone Pills

Delaware County District Attorney Shawn J. Smith recently announced the conviction of Katie Ryerson, a 53-year-old nurse from Stamford, New York.

Ryerson was found guilty of Petit Larceny in Delaware County Court. As part of her sentence, she has been ordered to enroll in and successfully complete the Delaware County Drug Court Program.

The defendant, who was employed at the Delhi Rehabilitation and Nursing Center, pleaded guilty to the Class A Misdemeanor charge of Petit Larceny on January 2, 2024. Prior to her guilty plea, Ryerson admitted to stealing oxycodone pills from a resident of the nursing home facility for her personal use on June 9, 2023.

On March 18, 2024, Ryerson appeared in Delaware County Court for a case conference. Following the receipt of a pre-sentence investigation, Judge John L. Hubbard ordered the defendant to be placed on interim probation supervision for a minimum of one year. One of the conditions of her interim probation is enrollment and successful completion of the Delaware County Adult Treatment Court Program.

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The New York State Department of Education is expected to suspend Ryerson's nursing license until she completes the Adult Treatment Program, at which point they will assess whether she can resume her nursing career.

District Attorney Shawn Smith commended the Delaware County Sheriff’s Office for their thorough investigation into the case, which was referred to them by the Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement of the New York State Department of Health.

Smith expressed hope that the defendant would embrace the opportunity to overcome her drug addiction through the Adult Treatment Court Program. However, if she fails to complete the program, she will be sentenced to one year in jail.