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 2 of 7, 26–50 of 157
- California pharmacist sentenced to more than seven years for dispensing over 450,000 opioid pills on fraudulent prescriptions 2024-11-25 · Retail pharmacy
- Registered nurse charged with stealing oxycodone and hydrocodone/acetaminophen from residents at Prince George Healthcare Center 2024-06 · Georgetown, SC · Other / not classified
- Madera pharmacist pleaded guilty to dispensing over 200,000 opioid pills on forged prescriptions 2024-06 · Retail pharmacy
- Nurse at Texas Health Hurst-Euless-Bedford diverted fentanyl, morphine, and other controlled substances from an automated dispensing cabinet 2024-05 · Bedford, TX · Other / not classified
- New Jersey drug manufacturer settles claims it failed to account for oxycodone, hydrocodone and temazepam 2024-04-10 · Other / not classified
- Arkansas nurse self-reported diverting and consuming hydrocodone from employer 2024-04 · Cabot, AR · Other / not classified
- Arkansas rehabilitation facility nurse self-reported diverting hydrocodone 2024-04 · Other / not classified
- Eastern Kentucky physician and clinic nurse sentenced for conspiracy to issue illegitimate opioid prescriptions 2024-03 · Other / not classified
- Mississippi pharmacy technician pleaded guilty to fraudulently obtaining hydrocodone from pharmacy inventory 2024-01-30 · Retail pharmacy
- Washington Pharmacy Technician Faces License Action Over Opioid Diversion (2024, case 2) 2024 · Washington · Retail pharmacy
- Ohio Pharmacist Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2024) 2024 · Ohio · Other / not classified
- Nebraska Nurse Faces License Action Over Opioid Diversion (2024) 2024 · Nebraska · Other / not classified
- Mississippi Pharmacy Technician Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2024) 2024 · Mississippi · Retail pharmacy
- Alabama Pharmacist Sentenced for Diverting Tens of Thousands of Oxycodone Pills from His Own Pharmacy 2023-11-03 · Gadsden, Alabama · Retail pharmacy
- Idaho Falls assisted living employee entered Alford plea to financial card charge after residents' hydrocodone was allegedly swapped for acetaminophen 2023-10 · Other / not classified
- Central Illinois pharmacy technician sentenced to 30 months for diverting hydrocodone and other controlled substances 2023-09-13 · Retail pharmacy
- Pharmacist charged with diverting hydrocodone/APAP tablets from a West Virginia pharmacy 2023-09 · Stonewood, WV · Retail pharmacy
- Sioux City Nurse Pleads Guilty to Stealing Opioids from Hospital Employer 2023-08-31 · Sioux City, Iowa · Hospital / health system
- Pharmacist-in-charge diverted hydrocodone and tramadol powder from a pharmacy controlled-substance safe; Maryland license revoked 2023-07 · Retail pharmacy
- Nursing home director of nursing used pre-signed prescription pads to divert hydrocodone 2023-04 · Montgomery, AL · Long-term care
- Missoula Hospital Nurse Sentenced for Diverting Opioids Flagged by Distribution Audit 2023-03-22 · Missoula, Montana · Hospital / health system
- Michigan Pharmacist Sentenced for Selling 25,000+ Opioid Pills from His Own Pharmacy 2023-02-09 · Madison Heights, Michigan · Retail pharmacy
- South Dakota Pharmacist Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · South Dakota · Hospital / health system
- Illinois Pharmacy Technician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · Illinois · Retail pharmacy
- Hawaii Physician Agrees to Plead Guilty in Benzodiazepine Diversion Case (2023) 2023 · Hawaii · Other / not classified
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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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