Iowa Occupational Therapist Admits

What Happened

Eric Leo Newsom, 34, of Cedar Rapids, a licensed Iowa occupational therapist, pleaded guilty on May 12, 2026 to tampering and attempting to tamper with a consumer product. He admitted that beginning in November 2024 he diverted narcotics from current and former patients. On March 24, 2025 he picked up a former patient's hydrocodone from a pharmacy and replaced it with zinc tablets he had scored to resemble hydrocodone. The patient lacked her pain medication until March 26 and died on March 28, 2025. He also admitted stealing narcotics from two other assisted living residents. Sentencing has not been set.

“In November 2024, Newsom began diverting narcotics from his current and former patients.”
U.S. Department of Justice / U.S. Attorney's Office press release, May 13, 2026

Related Guidance

15 Red Flags of Drug Diversion — Behavioral and transactional indicators of diversion.
Investigation Playbook — How to investigate suspected diversion inside an organization.

Sources

U.S. Department of Justice / U.S. Attorney's Office press release, May 13, 2026

Case at a Glance

Setting: Occupational therapy practice and assisted living facility
Drug: Hydrocodone, narcotics
Method: Replaced a patient's hydrocodone tablets with scored zinc tablets
Status: Pleaded guilty May 12, 2026 to tampering with a consumer product; sentencing pending

Source: U.S. Department of Justice

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Last reviewed: September 2026 · Educational content, not legal advice.

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DivertGuard is built and maintained by Alex Rodriguez, MHIIM, CPhT (also known as Jesus Rodriguez) — a drug diversion prevention program manager with more than a decade in pharmacy practice, including direct responsibility for a health-system controlled substance diversion prevention program.

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Iowa Occupational Therapist Admits Hydrocodone Tampering