On May 28, 2026, a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico returned an eight-count indictment against a 45-year-old advanced practice nurse licensed by the Puerto Rico Board of Nursing with a clinical concentration in anesthesia. The U.S. Attorney for the District of Puerto Rico announced the charges on June 2, 2026.
According to court documents described in the announcement, the nurse is accused of accessing and illegally obtaining vials of fentanyl citrate that were intended for patient care, removing the drug from those vials, and replacing it with clear liquid substances to conceal the theft. The indictment alleges that these actions abused the nurse's professional position and jeopardized patient safety. The announcement did not describe how the alleged tampering was first discovered.
The indictment charges four counts of tampering with consumer products, which carry a maximum of ten years per count, and four counts of acquiring or obtaining controlled substances by misrepresentation or fraud, which carry a maximum of four years per count. Any sentence would be set by a federal district judge after considering the sentencing guidelines and statutory factors. The initial court appearance was scheduled before a U.S. magistrate judge on June 2, 2026.
The case is being investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Puerto Rico Police Department, the Food and Drug Administration Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Puerto Rico Department of Health. Officials from the DEA and FDA said the case reflects their focus on protecting patients and the integrity of the drug supply. An indictment is only an allegation, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in court.