This is the case with two nurses in Santa Clara right now. Elmer Alegado and Rodolfo Idian were recently arrested after they were discovered with prescription drugs they had obtained from Santa Clara County Jail. The drugs were meant for inmates, but the two nurses had possession of these drugs when they were arrested. Santa Clara Sheriff's Office alleges that Alegado and Idian should not normally have had access to these particular drugs in the course of their daily duties. There was also an on-going investigation into suspected drug thefts at the jail.

An attorney for Alegado and Idian counters that the nurses were only following procedure. In the case of the prescription narcotics they were found with, these were only extras kept on hand to make up for shortages during audits. The drugs were obtained from inmates who refused to take their medications, "left overs" that were put back into inventory. The attorney for the nurses is attempting to have the charges reduced as a result of this explanation. He states that the nurses did not intentionally act in a criminal manner by stealing drugs to sell after working hours, they were simply negligent by not returning the drugs to the dispensary.

At the current time, both suspects were out on bail. Alegado is no longer employed by the county, and Idian is on administrative leave. If the judge buys their explanation, they will likely still be terminated from county employment, but they could get probation instead of prison time.

A good criminal defense attorney is a must-have for a client who is facing very serious charges. With a qualified attorney's help, the individual can get the charges reduced or even completely dropped. If you are facing legal issues, it is always worth spending the extra money to hire a defense attorney of your choice as opposed to accepting a public defender. This ensures that you get an attorney that you know is working in your best interest, and your attorney will be willing to develop a personal relationship with you to help you.