Kansas City, Mo. ? A Colorado pharmacy employee admitted stealing chemotherapy drugs from a Denver hospital, starting a pipeline of illegal drug sales that prosecutors say eventually reached accused drug diluter Robert R. Courtney.

Earlier Thursday, a pharmacist was sentenced to six months of home detention and five years of probation for receiving drugs stolen from the same Denver hospital.

U.S. Atty. Todd Graves said the two cases stem from the ongoing criminal investigation of Courtney, a Kansas City pharmacist charged with diluting cancer drugs for profit.

“As part of Courtney’s plea agreement, he is required to fully disclose his own criminal activities and those of others,” Graves said. “Based on information from those interviews we have charged several defendants in various cases.”

Graves also said he expects more criminal indictments against other people.

As part of a plea agreement, Steuart W. Smith, 51, of Denver, pleaded guilty to felony charges of unlawful sale of hospital drugs. Smith, who is not a pharmacist, admitted stealing prescription drugs and four chemotherapy drugs from the University of Colorado Hospital pharmacy where he worked.

Assistant U.S. Atty. Gene Porter said as part of the plea agreement, Colorado authorities have agreed not to prosecute Smith. Authorities said the drugs he was charged with stealing were valued at between $120,000 and $200,000.

Smith also will have to make restitution to the Colorado hospital. He could face up to three years in prison and a $250,000 fine. No sentencing date was set.

Earlier, pharmacist Gary S. Ravis, 58, of Leawood, Kan., was sentenced to six months of home detention and five years of probation for receiving drugs, also stolen from the same Colorado hospital.

U.S. District Judge Ortrie D. Smith also ordered Ravis to pay a $250,000 fine and serve 2,500 hours of community service 500 hours per year for the life of his probation.