A Gulf Coast nurse practitioner has been arrested as a result of an investigation into prescription drug fraud and theft.

A release from the Mississippi Department of Public Safety says that agents following a tip opened an investigation into Leslie Wilbourne, a 46-year-old nurse practitioner from the Coast. Along with the DEA, MBN learned that Wilbourne was allegedly prescribing the sleeping drug Ambien to several family members and friends.

Authorities said over the last three years, Wilbourne picked up over 146 prescriptions, written for her adult children, her mother, her father, and some friends, for her personal use. Each prescription was 30 dosage units of 10 milligrams.

On July 8 Wilbourne surrendered her DEA registration to prescribe controlled substances and was arrested. Wilbourne was charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud/theft and was booked in the Harrison County Adult Detention Center under a $7,500 bond.