BRENTWOOD - A former Rockingham County Nursing Home employee was indicted on drug charges for allegedly trying to buy oxycodone pills that he planned to distribute to inmates at the county jail.

Scott Martin, 26, of Plaistow was indicted on counts of attempted possession of a controlled drug with intent to sell and conspiracy to sale of a controlled drug, according to prosecutors. The indictments were made public late Friday.

Martin, who worked in the nursing home's laundry room, was arrested Sept. 13 during an undercover investigation by the Rockingham County Sheriff's Drug Task Force.

Deputies were contacted about Martin's alleged drug business on Sept. 6, according to an affidavit.

A confidential informant had told Corrections Lt. David Consentino how drugs were being smuggled into the county jail.

"An employee working over in the laundry room at the nursing home was meeting with outside people and getting the drugs," Sgt. Jay Murphy said in a sworn affidavit. "This person would then give the drug to one of the inmates that works in the laundry room."

An undercover deputy posed as a dealer willing to sell oxycodone to Martin, the affidavit said. Martin was given the deputy's phone number and called him on Sept. 12, asking to buy a quantity of oxycodone pills, according to Murphy.

Martin met the deputy behind the nursing home during his break to buy a dozen pills of what he thought was oxycodone, but the deputies instead used placebo pills filled with corn starch to resemble the narcotic, Murphy said in the affidavit.

An arrest team took Martin into custody without incident. Martin had regular contact with inmate "trustees" who are allowed to work in the nursing home, according to the sheriff's department.

His arrest was the result of a month-long investigation.

Several law enforcement agencies assisted in the investigation, including the Plaistow Police Department, the Danville Police Department, Raymond Police Department, the Rockingham County Department of Corrections and the Seabrook Police Department. Both charges are felonies, punishable by up to 3½ to 7 years in state prison.

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James A. Kimble may be reached at JKimble@newstote.com.