CentraState Nurse Charged With Dealing Narcotics

A 42-year-old Stafford Township man, who works as a registered nurse at CentraState Medical Center in Freehold Township, has been arrested and charged with stealing prescription drugs from the hospital where he works.

Seth J. Kaplan, of the Manahawkin section, was stopped in his vehicle - a 2010 Cadillac STS - around 9:15 p.m. Monday night at the intersection of Neptune Drive and Nautilus Boulevard, according to a press release from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office.

The release noted that a search of Kaplan's vehicle revealed syringes filled with liquid hydromorphine and morphine sulfate, along with a pill bottle containing various prescription pills.  

Immediately after the vehicle search, detectives from the Prosecutor's Office newly-formed along with officers from the Stafford Township Police Department conducted a search of Kaplan’s residence, which yielded additional quantities of hydromorphine HCI Injections, morphine sulfate injections, oxycodone pills, oxycontin pills, codeine pills, demoral (Meperdine) injections, and diazepam injections.  

Police said the search yielded 32 syringes, containing differing amounts of hydromorphine, morphine sulfate, demoral (Meperdine) and diazepam Injections.    

In the statement, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato said: “I want this to serve as a warning to all health care professionals that we are actively on the hunt for those who would betray their professional positions to profit from the illegal sale of prescription narcotics.”

Superior Court Judge Rochelle Gizinski JSC set Kaplan’s bail at $30,000 with no ten percent.  He is currently lodged in Ocean County Jail.