Hydrocodone diversion cases
157 documented cases, 2007–2026.
Figures are derived from the 931 case records collected on this site, not from any official total. A record counts here when its Drug field names hydrocodone; it also appears on the opioids page.
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $21,259.10
Smallest $500 · largest $2,600,000
Median of 26 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 21 of 157 records. 136 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 6 months
Longest: 144 months (12 years)
32 prison or jail terms stated in 29 of 157 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Roles named in the records
| Role | Records |
|---|---|
| Pharmacy technician | 39 |
| Pharmacist | 32 |
| Nurse (role unspecified) | 27 |
| Physician / surgeon | 25 |
| Not stated in the record or its title | 21 |
| Nurse practitioner / APRN | 5 |
| Registered nurse (RN) | 4 |
| Licensed practical / vocational nurse | 1 |
| Nurse aide / assistant | 1 |
| Surgical / OR technician | 1 |
| Veterinarian | 1 |
From the Role field (43) or, where the record has none, the case title (93).
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Illinois | 13 |
| Alabama | 8 |
| California | 8 |
| Kentucky | 7 |
| Mississippi | 7 |
| Hawaii | 6 |
| Iowa | 6 |
| Arkansas | 5 |
46 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Other / not classified | 70 |
| Retail pharmacy | 55 |
| Hospital / health system | 22 |
| Long-term care | 8 |
| No setting stated | 2 |
Other drugs and classes
Cases
Newest first · page 1 of 7, 1–25 of 157
- Emergency Department Physician Pleads Guilty to 19 Counts of Illegally Prescribing Opioids and Stimulants 2026-10-21 · Pensacola, Florida · Hospital / health system
- Fort Walton Beach Gastroenterologist Pays $300,000 to Settle Controlled Substances Act Prescribing Allegations 2026-09-21 · Fort Walton Beach, Florida · Other / not classified
- Registered nurse alleged to have obtained controlled substances from a Texas pharmacy using unauthorized prescriptions and co-worker prescriber numbers 2026-02 · Retail pharmacy
- Hospital nurse found with Dilaudid and Hydrocodone waste in pocket from work 2026-02 · Hospital / health system
- South Carolina Nurse Charged in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2026) 2026 · South Carolina · Other / not classified
- Pennsylvania Pharmacy Technician Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2026) 2026 · Pennsylvania · Retail pharmacy
- Lawton pharmacy technician charged after hydrocodone tablets found spilling from clothing 2025-12-03 · Retail pharmacy
- Anchorage Nurse Practitioner Sentenced for Prescribing Opioids Without Medical Purpose 2025-11-14 · Anchorage, Alaska
- California pharmacist applicant filled hydrocodone prescription issued without a prescriber-patient relationship 2025-10-15 · Retail pharmacy
- Houston Cash-Only Pharmacy Owner and Three Pharmacists Sentenced for Pill Mill Scheme 2025-09-25 · Houston, Texas · Retail pharmacy
- Chicago pharmacy settles federal Controlled Substances Act claims after technician hydrocodone thefts 2025-09-15 · Retail pharmacy
- Chicago pharmacy settles Controlled Substances Act claims after technicians stole hydrocodone 2025-09-15 · Retail pharmacy
- Chicago pharmacy settles federal claims after technicians diverted hydrocodone 2025-09-15 · Retail pharmacy
- Oklahoma grocery-chain pharmacy technician admitted stealing and selling hydrocodone and alprazolam 2025-08-13 · Retail pharmacy
- West Virginia Veterinarian Ordered to Pay $956,709 Over Unaccounted-For Opioids 2025-08-05 · Winfield, West Virginia · Other / not classified
- Pharmacy Owner Sentenced for Diverting Opioids From His Own Iowa Pharmacy 2025-07-28 · Fairfield, Iowa · Retail pharmacy
- Facility Administrator Sentenced for Diverting Opioids From Five Senior-Care Facilities 2025-05-28 · Iowa · Other / not classified
- Illinois nursing-facility administrator sentenced to probation for diverting opioids from emergency kits and medication carts 2025-05-28 · Other / not classified
- Pharmacist and Spouse Sentenced for Diverting Opioids From Kentucky Pharmacy 2025-05-05 · Franklin, Kentucky · Retail pharmacy
- Birmingham-area nursing home nurse diverted hydrocodone tablets; pleaded guilty to theft 2025-02 · Birmingham, AL · Long-term care
- Ohio Pharmacist Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2025) 2025 · Ohio · Other / not classified
- Kentucky Pharmacist Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2025) 2025 · Kentucky · Other / not classified
- Indiana Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2025) 2025 · Indiana · Other / not classified
- Iowa Pharmacist Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2025) 2025 · Iowa · Retail pharmacy
- Alabama Nurse Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2025, case 2) 2025 · Alabama · Long-term care
← All drugs and drug classes · Cases by state · Filter these cases in the case database · Check your own controls with the free assessment
Disclaimer
Case summaries are based on public records (DOJ press releases, court documents, licensing-board orders, news reports). Charges are allegations unless a conviction is noted. Analysis is educational, not legal advice.
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