Incident 40135
Incident 40135
Nurse Charged with Tampering with Liquid Morphine
A Connecticut nurse was charged with tampering with liquid morphine prescribed to a patient.
The nurse was charged on Oct. 27, 2020 with tampering with a consumer product.
According to the charging document, on Jan. 27, 2018, the nurse tampered with a bottle of morphine prescribed to a patient at Governor’s Center, a nursing facility in Westfield, by removing the morphine from the bottle and diluting the remaining morphine with another substance.
The charging statute provides for a sentence of up to 10 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Andrew Lelling; Jeffrey Ebersole, Special Agent in Charge of the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; and Acting Commissioner Margaret Cooke of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health made the announcement today. Assistant U.S. Attorney Chris Looney of Lelling’s Health Care Fraud Unit is prosecuting the case.
The details contained in the charging documents are allegations. The defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Where the Diversion Occurred:
Governor’s Center
66 Broad St, Westfield, MA 01085
Type of Healthcare Facility:
Hospital
Has the incident been reported?
e.g. to local law enforcement, county board of health, state licensure board, and/or federal DEA or FDA authorities?
Yes
To whom has the incident been reported?
Food and Drug Administration
