Texas ICU Nurse Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl

What Happened

Crystal McLin Lipe, 41, of Annona, Texas, pleaded guilty on July 27, 2023, in the Eastern District of Texas to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud. According to court documents, Lipe worked as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit of a hospital and obtained fentanyl for her personal use without the hospital's authorization. She removed fentanyl from its original vials, replaced it with a liquid containing sodium chloride, and did not disclose her conduct to the hospital. Lipe faces up to four years in federal prison at sentencing, which had not yet been scheduled. The FDA and DEA investigated the case.

“Lipe acquired the fentanyl fraudulently, by removing the fentanyl from its original vials, replacing the fentanyl with a liquid containing sodium chloride”
U.S. Department of Justice / U.S. Attorney's Office press release, Jul 28, 2023

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, Jul 28, 2023

Case at a Glance

Setting: Hospital ICU
Drug: Fentanyl
Method: Removed fentanyl from original vials and replaced it with a liquid containing sodium chloride
Status: Pleaded guilty July 27, 2023 to obtaining a controlled substance by fraud; faces up to 4 years in federal prison, sentencing pending

Source: U.S. Department of Justice

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

About the author

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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Registry Insights: Sentences, Fines, States and Outcomes

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Texas ICU Nurse Pleads Guilty to Fentanyl Diversion