Paramedic, aide and other staff drug diversion cases
18 documented cases, 2010–2026.
Figures are derived from the 931 case records collected on this site, not from any official total. A record counts here when its Role field, or failing that its title, names one of these roles: 4 from the Role field, 14 from the title.
Roles counted: Paramedic / EMT (9) · Nurse aide / assistant (6) · Surgical / OR technician (3).
Monetary penalties stated
Median: $506,935
Smallest $506,935 · largest $506,935
Median of 1 amount in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) stated in 1 of 18 records. 17 records state no dollar amount.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 6 months
Longest: 360 months (30 years)
6 prison or jail terms stated in 6 of 18 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Drug classes involved
| Drug class | Records |
|---|---|
| Opioids | 14 |
| Other controlled substance | 3 |
| Anesthetics / sedatives | 1 |
| No drug stated | 1 |
A record naming drugs from two classes counts in both.
States with the most records
| State | Records |
|---|---|
| Colorado | 3 |
| South Dakota | 3 |
| Washington | 3 |
| Massachusetts | 2 |
| Illinois | 1 |
| Minnesota | 1 |
| Missouri | 1 |
| Nevada | 1 |
11 states and territories in all; every state.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Other / not classified | 8 |
| Emergency services / EMS | 5 |
| Hospital / health system | 4 |
| No setting stated | 1 |
Other roles
Cases
Newest first
- Littleton Oral Surgery Assistant Sentenced for Tampering With Fentanyl Vials 2026-01-14 · Littleton, Colorado · Other / not classified
- Tennessee EMS board revokes paramedic over Hendersonville diversion 2026-01 · Hendersonville, Tennessee
- South Carolina Unlicensed Caregiver Charged Over Care Facility Oxycodone Theft 2025-12-23 · Piedmont, South Carolina · Other / not classified
- Certified nursing assistant alleged to have diverted controlled substances from a resident at an assisted living facility 2025-08 · Whatcom County, WA · Other / not classified
- Home care aide accused of failing to administer and account for residents' narcotic medications 2024-09 · Other / not classified
- Hospital certified nursing assistant and registered medical assistant charged with diverting oxycodone from a patient 2024-08 · Spokane County, Washington · Hospital / health system
- Denver Paramedic Supervisor Sentenced for Stealing 1,900 Vials of Fentanyl 2023-04-19 · Denver, Colorado · Hospital / health system
- South Dakota hospital ambulance fentanyl vials found filled with saline; no suspect identified 2022-11 · Hospital / health system
- Massachusetts Paramedic Pleads Guilty to Tampering With Ambulance Fentanyl Vials 2022-08-30 · Needham, Massachusetts · Emergency services / EMS
- Paramedic Stole and Diluted Ambulance Fentanyl and Hydromorphone 2020-09-17 · Carthage / Mount Vernon, Missouri · Emergency services / EMS
- Air-Evacuation Paramedic Tampered with Fentanyl and Ketamine Vials 2019-12-09 · Weatherford, Oklahoma · Other / not classified
- Las Vegas nurse practitioner and surgical technician pleaded guilty to distributing hydrocodone and oxycodone prescriptions for cash 2018-10 · Other / not classified
- South Dakota medication aide charged with ingesting a substance to become intoxicated in 2017 health care fraud sweep 2017-07-13 · Other / not classified
- South Dakota medication aide charged with hydrocodone possession in 2017 health care fraud sweep 2017-07-13 · Other / not classified
- Massachusetts Paramedic Pleads Guilty to Tampering with Ambulance Fentanyl 2017-06-22 · Rowley, Massachusetts · Emergency services / EMS
- MedStar Ambulance Paramedic Supervisor Charged with Tampering with Fentanyl and Morphine 2017-01-18 · O'Fallon, Illinois · Emergency services / EMS
- Minnesota Paramedic Stole Ambulance Morphine, Replaced It with Saline 2015-07-16 · Minneapolis, Minnesota · Emergency services / EMS
- Surgical Technician Diverts Fentanyl, Triggers Multistate Hepatitis C Outbreak — Colorado, 2010 2010-02-24 · Denver, Colorado · Hospital / health system
← All roles · Cases by state · 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.
Would your controls have caught these?
The free self-assessment scores your own controls: 8 sections, 63 weighted items, a score for each section, and a PDF you can take to your committee. No account or login.
Start the free assessment