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The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office has arrested an HCA Florida Brandon Hospital intensive-care unit nurse, accusing her of stealing 17 bags of fentanyl from the hospital.
L. Williams, 55, faces 17 charges each of grand theft of a controlled substance and trafficking fentanyl. Deputies say Williams refilled the bags with an unknown substance and put them back into circulation.
“I am appalled by the betrayal of trust exhibited by this nurse who stole fentanyl bags from the very institution entrusted with the well-being of our community,” said Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister in a news release. “These actions not only jeopardize lives but undermine the fundamental principles of healthcare.”
Fentanyl is used in hospitals to treat pain. It is a synthetic opioid often mixed with or sold as a substitute for other, illegal drugs such as heroin and poses a risk of fatal overdose.
On Dec. 12, deputies say staff at Florida Brandon Hospital reached out to detectives at the sheriff’s office regarding an internal investigation of Williams. Detectives believe that Williams had been stealing fentanyl bags dating back to Oct. 2.
The sheriff’s office said they recovered one of the tampered bags and it is currently being tested by the Food and Drug Administration. They suspect it may contain saline but won’t be sure until the test results are returned.
“It is difficult to comprehend how someone who is supposed to save lives is instead risking them for personal gain. My office will ensure anyone engaged in trafficking this deadly poison will be held accountable for their actions,” said State Attorney Suzy Lopez in the news release.
Records show Williams was arrested at her Lithia home Thursday morning and is being held in a Hillsborough County jail with a bail set at $68,000.
Williams is no longer employed at the hospital, said Laura Stauter, director of communications at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital, said in a statement provided to the Tampa Bay Times.
Sauter said the hospital has extensive safeguards in place to ensure medications are administered and accounted for.
“These safeguards led to the discovery of some discrepancies,” Stauter said. “After a timely internal investigation, hospital leadership reported the incident to the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office, FDA, and the state board of nursing.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated with a statement from HCA Florida Brandon Hospital.