A former hospital technician and admitted heroin addict, Kristen Diane Parker was sentenced an imprisonment of 30 years on Wednesday. She was accused of swapping drug-filled syringes to be used for patients with used syringes which were infected with the malignant hepatitis C virus.

The needle swapping has reportedly infected at least 18 patients at Rose Medical Center here in 2008 and 2009, according to DNA analysis.

Mrs. Parker, 27, received the sentence in federal court in Denver after she pleaded guilty to some of the charges in the case. Previously, the prosecutors had recommended a 20 years imprisonment for her but a judge rejected the plea agreement. Some of the victims said it was not a sufficient penance.

“I was a drug addict”, she said, wiping away tears. “I put getting my next fix above my career, my family, taking care of my son and the safety and well-being of my patients”. She added, “I have hurt an uncountable number of people”.

On Wednesday, the judge explained that according to him, Ms. Parker knew that taking pain medication from people going into surgery — the used syringes replaced with water or saline — would boost their suffering, and that her dirty needles, deliberately kept back for use, were contaminated with hepatitis.