Shiera Celeste Briseno, a former contract nurse at East Central Regional Hospital in Augusta, pleaded guilty yesterday in Rockdale County Superior Court to 20 counts of Forgery in the First Degree (O.C.G.A. § 16-9-1) and 13 counts of Theft by Taking (O.C.G.A. § 16-8-2) for submitting fraudulent time sheets and collecting wages for time she did not work.

Briseno was employed by Global Diagnostic Services, Inc. (GDS) as a contract nurse and worked at the State hospital for a short time, but stopped coming to work in June of 2007. From June 2007, through December 2008, she forged the nurse manager’s signature on her timesheets and faxed them to GDS for payment as if she were still working at the hospital. As a result, Briseno fraudulently collected over $30,000.00 in wages.

Judge Robert F. Mumford accepted the State’s recommendation and sentenced Ms. Briseno to 90 days in the county jail, 10 years probation, a $1000.00 fine, and full restitution in the amount of $32,342.00.

Assistant Attorney General Laura Pfister prosecuted the case on behalf of the State of Georgia.