Drug Diversion in the News

Danville Regional Medical Center, known as Sovah Health—Danville, agreed to the third-largest civil penalty ever obtained from a hospital system for claims of Controlled Substances Act violations, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Virginia (WDVA) announced. The $4.36 million settlement stems from Sovah Health—Danville operating in a manner that allowed employees to [...]

Leaders at a Keene, New Hampshire hospital have been sanctioned after nearly 8 gallons of fentanyl went missing over a 5-month period. Cheshire Medical Center's chief nursing officer Amy Matthews, DNP, RN, had her nursing license suspended late last month, and hospital pharmacy director Melissa Siciliano, PharmD, had her license reinstated after a temporary suspension [...]

A Bedford nurse was arrested after an investigation by the Attorney General Medicaid Fraud Control Unity police arrested 37-year-old H. York, on felony charges of obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and failure to make or keep a controlled substance record. According to investigators York was a nurse at Westview Nursing and Rehabilitation Center. The [...]

A woman sentenced in Greensboro last week to more than 4 years in federal prison for stealing drugs from a Winston-Salem hospital is at the core of record fines against two hospitals in Southern Virginia. Emilee Kathryn Poteat, 32, of Danville, Virginia, a contract nurse for Novant Health in Winston-Salem, was sentenced June 1 in [...]

“A Pittsfield woman pleaded guilty today in federal court in Springfield to stealing fentanyl being administered to a patient in the critical care unit. Jessica Lotto, 36, pleaded guilty to one count of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud, deceit or subterfuge. U.S. District Court Judge Mark G. Mastroianni scheduled sentencing for Jan. 25, 2023. [...]

A former pharmacy procurement technician was sentenced on May 26, 2022, to 57 months in prison for stealing prescription HIV medications from the pharmacy of the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in East Orange, New Jersey, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Lisa M. Hoffman, 50, of Orange, New Jersey, previously pleaded guilty before U.S. [...]

A certified registered nurse anesthetist is facing charges after allegedly stealing several different drugs meant for patients while working at a hospital in Little River. 48 year old Bryan Bird stole undisclosed amounts of the drugs midazolam, hydromorphone and fentanyl multiple times between March 28th and April 8th by falsely documenting quantities prescribed to patients. [...]

A nurse working at a Florida hospital pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing fentanyl and replacing the powerful pain medication with saline. Monique Elizabeth Carter, 35, of Middleburg, pleaded guilty in Jacksonville federal court to tampering with a consumer product, according to court records. She faces up to 10 years in prison. A sentencing date wasn't [...]

A southeast Iowa woman is accused of swiping medications intended for her patients while working as a nurse at the Good Samaritan Society. 60-year-old D. Hird of Blakesburg has been charged with two counts of drug diversion (Class C felony), identity theft (aggravated misdemeanor), and tampering with records (aggravated misdemeanor). While employed as a nurse, [...]

A registered nurse is facing over 100 charges and remains in jail on bond set at $237,000 for stealing narcotics and falsifying records. Volusia County deputies arrested C. Braunle on Tuesday (March 29), charging him with 23 counts of falsifying health records, and 91 total charges for stealing narcotics. Volusia Sheriff's Office spokesperson Andrew Gant [...]