KEENE, N.H. (MyKeeneNow) A registered nurse at Cheshire Medical Center has had his license suspended following allegations of drug diversion, marking another troubling chapter in the hospital’s history of controlled substance losses.

State regulators suspended the license of Steven Finnell in January after he allegedly stole opioid medications, including fentanyl, that were intended for patient use. The New Hampshire Board of Nursing took emergency action following an internal hospital investigation that uncovered suspicious activity surrounding Finnell’s handling of medications.

According to state documents, Finnell admitted to diverting multiple controlled substances for personal use. The allegations suggest he misrepresented medication records, giving patients only partial doses or substituting saline while keeping the opioids for himself. His conduct reportedly spanned from June 2024 until his activities were discovered on January 16, 2025.

A spokesperson for Cheshire Medical Center confirmed in a statement that the hospital promptly reported concerns about Finnell to law enforcement and initiated an internal review. The hospital has since terminated his employment. However, officials did not disclose whether any patients suffered harm as a result of the alleged thefts.

This incident follows a broader pattern of drug security failures at Cheshire Medical Center. In 2022, federal investigators found that the hospital had lost or failed to account for 21 gallons of fentanyl solution over a two-year span. The investigation led to a $2 million fine and a mandated three-year corrective action plan with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Despite these measures, drug diversion incidents have persisted.

In a previous case, an ICU nurse admitted in 2022 to stealing hundreds of fentanyl solution bags before dying one month later. The New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification subsequently disciplined three hospital employees related to that drug loss. Officials cited record-keeping failures and the overwhelming demands of the COVID-19 pandemic as contributing factors.

With Finnell’s case now under scrutiny, the Board of Nursing has scheduled a follow-up hearing to determine the long-term status of his nursing license.

Keene police have not disclosed whether they are pursuing criminal charges. Meanwhile, Cheshire Medical Center maintains that it has strengthened security measures, implemented additional monitoring, and trained staff on drug diversion prevention in response to previous incidents.