Morphine diversion cases
87 documented cases, 2000–2026.
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 morphine; it also appears on the opioids page.
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $3,500
Smallest $400 · largest $44,000
Median of 10 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 8 of 87 records. 79 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 3 months
Longest: 111 months
28 prison or jail terms stated in 28 of 87 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Roles named in the records
| Role | Records |
|---|---|
| Nurse (role unspecified) | 51 |
| Pharmacist | 8 |
| Registered nurse (RN) | 7 |
| Not stated in the record or its title | 6 |
| Physician / surgeon | 6 |
| Licensed practical / vocational nurse | 3 |
| Pharmacy technician | 3 |
| Paramedic / EMT | 2 |
| Nurse anesthetist (CRNA) | 1 |
From the Role field (12) or, where the record has none, the case title (69).
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | 10 |
| Iowa | 6 |
| Indiana | 5 |
| Illinois | 4 |
| Maryland | 4 |
| Wisconsin | 4 |
| Colorado | 3 |
| Connecticut | 3 |
37 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Hospital / health system | 39 |
| Other / not classified | 32 |
| Long-term care | 6 |
| Retail pharmacy | 5 |
| Emergency services / EMS | 2 |
| Home health / hospice | 2 |
| No setting stated | 1 |
Other drugs and classes
Cases
Newest first · page 3 of 4, 51–75 of 87
- Eastern Iowa ICU Nurse Sentenced for Stealing Patient's Fentanyl and Morphine 2020-06-26 · Cedar Rapids, Iowa · Hospital / health system
- Iowa Nursing Home Nurse Sentenced for Stealing Patients' Pain Medication 2020-01-28 · Manchester, Iowa · Long-term care
- Ohio Nurse Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2020) 2020 · Ohio · Other / not classified
- Haverhill Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Hospice Patient's Morphine 2019-12-18 · Amesbury, Massachusetts · Long-term care
- Connecticut Pharmacist Admits Tampering with Home-Infusion Narcotics 2019-12-13 · Wolcott, Connecticut · Retail pharmacy
- St. Francis Hospital Nurse Turned Off Infusion Pumps to Divert Narcotics 2019-08-14 · Hartford, CT · Hospital / health system
- Connecticut LPN placed on probation after Massachusetts license suspension for diverting opioids 2019-07 · Other / not classified
- Rhode Island VA Nurse Sentenced Over Liquid Opioid Tampering 2019-04-05 · Providence, Rhode Island · Hospital / health system
- Hilo clinic physician and employees accused of unlawfully distributing opioids 2019-02 · Hilo, HI · Other / not classified
- Missouri Pharmacy Technician Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2019) 2019 · Missouri · Hospital / health system
- Pain clinic physician indicted for prescribing fentanyl, oxycodone and other controlled substances without patient examinations 2018-06 · Hamilton, OH · Other / not classified
- North Colorado Medical Center Nurse Stole Opioids from Locked Dispensing System 2018-04-26 · Greeley, Colorado · Hospital / health system
- Denver VA and ER Nurse Tampered with Fentanyl Vials, Resealed with Skin Glue 2018-04-19 · Denver, Colorado · Hospital / health system
- UC San Diego anesthesiologist's license revoked after alleged sedative diversion and saline substitution 2018-04 · Hospital / health system
- Home-Infusion Pharmacy Tech Diluted Hospice Patients' IV Opioids 2018-02-21 · Birmingham, Alabama · Retail pharmacy
- Birmingham Pharmacy Technician Tampered with Opioid IV Bags Prepared for Palliative Care Patients 2018-02 · Birmingham, AL · Retail pharmacy
- Three former Trinity Hospital hospice nurses accused of stealing drugs and endangering patients 2017-09 · Minot, ND · Hospital / health system
- Ogden hospital emergency room nurse charged with diverting morphine and dilaudid and tampering with vials, exposing patients to hepatitis C 2017-07 · Ogden, UT · Hospital / health system
- Metro Jackson Hospital Nurse Charged With Embezzling Opioids 2017-05-24 · Hospital / health system
- Hospital nurse accused of embezzling Dilaudid and morphine for diversion 2017-05 · Jackson, MS · Hospital / health system
- MedStar Ambulance Paramedic Supervisor Charged with Tampering with Fentanyl and Morphine 2017-01-18 · O'Fallon, Illinois · Emergency services / EMS
- Traveling nurse surrendered license after admitting to stealing fentanyl from Massachusetts hospital 2017 · Newburyport, MA · Hospital / health system
- Nevada nursing board found a licensed practical nurse withdrew morphine from patient dispensers at a rural hospital without documenting it 2016-03 · Caliente, NV · Hospital / health system
- Nurse at a medical center in Caliente investigated for unaccounted morphine; license revoked 2015-08 · Caliente, NV · Hospital / health system
- Minnesota Paramedic Stole Ambulance Morphine, Replaced It with Saline 2015-07-16 · Minneapolis, Minnesota · Emergency services / EMS
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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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