Jenna Leigh Furmanski, right, and attorney Dana Harper at a hearing Thursday asked Judge Steve Parks to modify her bond conditions so Furmanski could handle medication at her workplace. Parks denied the request. (Sophie Vogelmann | Daily Press)

ESCANABA – A registered nurse accused of stealing morphine at an assisted living facility where she formerly worked was denied a bond modification Thursday that would have allowed her to handle medications at a different care facility.

Appearing in 94th District Court, attorney Dana Harper told Judge Steve Parks that MediLodge of Munising was aware of the larceny in a building charge against Jenna Leigh Furmanski, a registered nurse for 13 years.

“She’s been in constant communication with them, and they would really like her back,” Harper said. “But in order to have her back, they need her at full capacity.”

That would require lifting the condition that she can’t handle medication, Furmanski’s attorney said.

“There’s a lot of checks and balances as far as handling medication (at MediLodge), and they feel comfortable having her to do that,” Harper said.

But Delta County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Beth Wickwire objected, stating, “the fact is that it was a patient’s morphine that was missing. We believe that it’s appropriate to keep that – essentially – a safeguard in place for now until we know for sure how this case is going to play out in Circuit Court.”

Wickwire said she understands Furmanski intends to enter into a plea agreement that would send the case to the 47th Circuit Court, which handles plea agreements.

“I understand that this court (District Court) won’t be taking the plea, but I would note that a condition of the plea agreement that I have in front of me is that she would not be in possession of or in charge of another’s prescriptions,” Wickwire said.

Parks noted the allegations against Furmanski are serious. “The substance morphine is highly addictive,” he said.

Parks also stated that based on what he knows about the case, particularly from the criminal complaint, he would not be comfortable granting the request “unless I had a full-blown substance abuse assessment and a better position to determine whether or not there was an ongoing substance abuse problem. Because if she does have an ongoing substance abuse problem, I would definitely not want to put her in a position where she is further exposed to addictive substances.”

Thursday’s hearing was initially to be Furmanski’s preliminary examination but that was canceled when Furmanski indicated she intends to take the plea agreement.

According to the criminal complaint, Furmanski was charged with one count of larceny in a building for reportedly stealing the morphine on or about June 16 at an assisted living facility in Escanaba. The felony carries a possible sentence if convicted of four years in prison and/or a $5,000 fine.