Drug diversion cases in North Carolina
17 documented cases, 1994–2025.
Figures are derived from the 730 case records collected on this site, not from official state totals.
Custodial sentences stated
Shortest: 48 months (4 years)
Longest: 54 months
4 prison or jail terms stated in 4 of 17 records. Probation, supervised release, home confinement and suspended terms are not counted.
Monetary penalties stated
Smallest: $3,000
Largest: $100,000
2 amounts in US dollars (civil settlements and penalties, criminal fines, restitution, forfeiture) in 2 of 17 records.
Drug classes involved
| Drug class | Records |
|---|---|
| Opioids | 9 |
| Other controlled substance | 8 |
| Benzodiazepines | 1 |
A record naming drugs from two classes counts in both.
Settings involved
| Setting | Records |
|---|---|
| Other / not classified | 10 |
| Retail pharmacy | 5 |
| Hospital / health system | 2 |
Cases
Newest first
- Elkin pharmacy ordered to pay $500,000 penalty and enjoined from filling red-flag opioid prescriptions 2025-02 · Retail pharmacy
- WakeMed nurse charged with stealing fentanyl from IV bag 2024-10 · Raleigh, NC · Other / not classified
- Wilmington family-medicine physician paid $170,000 to resolve allegations of unlawful opioid prescribing 2023-06-23 · Other / not classified
- Raleigh-Area Nurse Sentenced for Tampering with Surgical Patients' Painkillers 2023-05-22 · Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina · Other / not classified
- Surgical practice nurse sentenced for tampering with fentanyl, morphine, and meperidine and replacing them with saline 2023-05 · Raleigh, NC · Other / not classified
- North Carolina Hospital Nurse Sentenced for Tampering With Hydromorphone Vials 2022-06-01 · Winston-Salem, North Carolina · Hospital / health system
- North Carolina pharmacy chain paid $100,000 to resolve claims it filled prescriptions from physician on limited license 2022-02-03 · Other / not classified
- Aspirar Pharmacy Pays $100K for Filling Invalid Opioid Prescriptions 2022-02-03 · Cary / Durham, North Carolina · Retail pharmacy
- Contract nurse at Winston-Salem hospital diverted hydromorphone and replaced it with saline 2021-12 · Winston-Salem, NC · Hospital / health system
- Farmville pharmacy and pharmacist-in-charge ordered to pay $600,000 and permanently barred from dispensing controlled substances 2020-02-03 · Retail pharmacy
- Charlotte pharmacy technician convicted of embezzling oxycodone via fraudulent prescription 2019-05-09 · Retail pharmacy
- Gaston County general practitioner's license revoked after felony conviction for prescribing controlled substances without a legal medical purpose 2008-11-20 · Other / not classified
- Mooresville pharmacist's license suspended indefinitely for unauthorized consumption of controlled substances 1995-01 · Mooresville, NC · Other / not classified
- Graham pharmacist's license suspended indefinitely for obtaining and consuming controlled substances without authorization 1995-01 · Graham, NC · Other / not classified
- Durham pharmacist admitted unauthorized Sufentanil use; license suspended 30 days, stayed five years 1995-01 · Durham, NC · Other / not classified
- Charlotte pharmacist's license suspended indefinitely for altering prescriptions and unauthorized controlled substance use 1995-01 · Charlotte, NC · Other / not classified
- Pharmacist at Fairview Pharmacy Consultants obtained and consumed controlled substances without authorization 1994-03 · Fairview, NC · Retail pharmacy
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Disclaimer
Case summaries are based on public records (DOJ press releases, court documents, news reports). Charges are allegations unless a conviction is noted. Analysis is educational, not legal advice.
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