Greensburg nurse sentenced to probation for writing fraudulent prescriptions

A Greensburg woman is prohibited from holding duties as a certified registered nurse practitioner while she serves three years on probation for writing fraudulent prescriptions for thousands of pills.

Judge Christopher Feliciani ordered that Kari A. Halaut, 55, continue with drug and alcohol treatment during the probationary period. Halaut pleaded no contest Wednesday to identity theft charges and Pharmacy Act violations.

She was arrested last year by the state attorney general’s office on accusations that she used prescription pads from a former employer and wrote prescriptions while working at other medical facilities without legal authority to do so, according to court papers.

Beginning in December 2016, she wrote nearly 200 prescriptions for about 7,000 pills, using the names of others to fill out the prescriptions, according to court papers. Investigators said they used the state’s prescription drug monitoring program to track her prescribing practices. Halaut reportedly picked up the medications at pharmacies.

Halaut was issued a registered nurse license in 1990 and certified registered nurse practitioner license in 2003, according to state licensing data. Both are suspended.

Defense attorney Nicole Nino said Halaut will be going before a licensing board in an effort to regain her status as a registered nurse. Deputy Attorney General Tom Grace said that working under that type of license is not prohibited as part of the no contest plea.

Feliciani included in his order that Halaut can work as a registered nurse if she is authorized by the licensing board.