Diversion Case Studies

Nevada registered nurse reprimanded and ordered to continuing education for drug diversion

A registered nurse entered an Agreement for Reprimand and Continuing Education with the Nevada State Board of Nursing during the reporting period of December 5, 2024 through February 3, 2025. The Board cited unprofessional conduct, diverting supplies, equipment or drugs for personal or unauthorized use, and departure from customary standards of practice. The published list contains no information about the drug, the workplace or how the conduct was detected.

Nevada advanced practice nurse placed on probation for drug diversion and falsified records

The Nevada State Board of Nursing entered an Agreement for Probation with an advanced practice registered nurse during its December 5, 2024 through February 3, 2025 reporting period. The grounds included unprofessional conduct, diverting supplies, equipment or drugs for personal or unauthorized use, inaccurate recording or falsifying records, violation of state or federal nursing law or regulation, and departure from customary standards of practice. The published list does not describe the drug, setting or how the conduct was identified.

Elkin pharmacy ordered to pay $500,000 penalty and enjoined from filling red-flag opioid prescriptions

A federal court entered a consent decree requiring an Elkin pharmacy to pay a $500,000 penalty and enjoining the pharmacy and its pharmacists from dispensing controlled substances without steps to guard against abuse or diversion. The government's complaint alleged the defendants filled opioid prescriptions while disregarding red flags such as dangerous drug combinations, high-dose long-term opioids, apparent doctor or pharmacy shopping, and prescriptions from a prescriber the state medical board had barred from prescribing controlled substances. The claims remain allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability.

Michigan Pharmacist Surrenders License Over Grand Blanc Drug Diversion

Grand Blanc, Michigan

A Michigan pharmacist in Grand Blanc voluntarily surrendered a license after the state licensing bureau's disciplinary action report cited drug diversion, incompetence, and lack of good moral character as the basis for action.

Michigan Pharmacy Technician Fined and Probated Over Taylor Drug Diversion

Taylor, Michigan

A Michigan pharmacy technician in Taylor was fined and placed on probation upon reinstatement, with the license suspended, after the state licensing bureau's disciplinary action report cited drug diversion, incompetence, and lack of good moral character as the basis for action.

Registered nurse removed propofol from workplace for personal use

A registered nurse was accused of removing narcotic medication from her place of employment for personal use. Pharmacy audit records showed that multiple bottles of propofol were prematurely replaced and several bottles were unaccounted for. The nurse acknowledged removing medication from the facility for personal use to address sleeping issues and admitted the allegations; the license was placed on probation.

Registered nurse alleged to have diverted IV Dilaudid from a worksite an automated dispensing cabinet by logging it out and pocketing it

A registered nurse was alleged to have logged out IV Dilaudid but not administered or wasted it within an hour, placed logged-out IV Dilaudid in a pocket, and documented administering IV Dilaudid when it was not administered. The nurse neither admitted nor denied the allegations. The Board placed the nurse's RN license on probation for 24 months within 36 months, with monitoring and education conditions.

Maine Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2025)

Maine

Kennebunk physician Dr. Merideth Norris was sentenced to three years of probation and a $7,000 fine after being convicted on 15 counts of distributing controlled substances (oxycodone and fentanyl).

Alabama Nurse Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2025)

Alabama

Alabama Attorney General announced on Feb. 11, 2025 that former Birmingham nurse pleaded guilty to theft of opioid tablets from the nursing home where he worked.

West Virginia Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2025)

West Virginia

Travel nurse from Belfry, KY was sentenced to two years for obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and three years for wrongful disclosure of health information, consecutive, for diverting hydromorphone from dispensing machines at Raleigh General Hospital. The WV nursing board indefinitely suspended her practice privilege.

Kentucky Pharmacist Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2025)

Kentucky

Franklin pharmacist was sentenced to 36 months in prison and 36 months of supervised release for conspiracies to steal medical products and distribute controlled substances, health care fraud, aggravated identity theft and a false statement; prosecutors say oxycodone and hydrocodone were diverted from the pharmacy from May 2020 to January 2023.

District of Columbia Physician Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2025)

District of Columbia

Physician was convicted by a jury on March 21, 2025 of conspiracy to distribute controlled substances, maintaining a drug-involved premises and 22 counts of unlawful distribution of oxycodone and promethazine with codeine, and on June 26, 2025 was sentenced to 18 years in prison; he must forfeit $213,173.97.

Ohio Pharmacist Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2025)

Ohio

Hubbard pharmacist pleaded guilty June 2025 in Mahoning County to three felony counts of drug theft (zolpidem, tramadol, hydrocodone/acetaminophen) at a Boardman pharmacy, received two years of probation, and agreed to permanently surrender his Ohio pharmacy license.

New Hampshire Nurse Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2025)

New Hampshire

Former Cheshire Medical Center nurse was indicted in June 2025 on four felony counts of illegally obtaining controlled drugs (fentanyl, Dilaudid, morphine, oxycodone) by giving patients partial doses from June 2024 to January 2025; the Board of Nursing suspended his license in January and he surrendered it in May.

Iowa Nurse Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2025)

Iowa

Sarah Ann Haptonstall, 47, of Onawa, Iowa, a former nurse, was sentenced July 16, 2025 to more than three years in federal prison after pleading guilty to obtaining a controlled substance by misrepresentation, felon in possession of a firearm, and bank fraud; the pain medication was taken from nursing home residents.

Iowa Nurse Sentenced in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2025, case 2)

Iowa

Amanda Nicole Manatt, 37, a registered nurse in hospital emergency rooms, was sentenced Aug. 14, 2025 to six months in federal prison, a $5,500 fine and $5,258.20 restitution for controlled substance diversion involving fentanyl, hydromorphone and morphine.

Arkansas Pharmacist Convicted in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2025)

Arkansas

Jason Chambless, a staff pharmacist at College Hill Pharmacy in Texarkana, Arkansas, pleaded guilty before Judge Susan O. Hickey to altering records to hide his theft of narcotics between April 2023 and April 2024; Arkansas State Board of Pharmacy records show his license suspended.

Tennessee Pharmacist Convicted in Controlled Substance Diversion Case (2025)

Tennessee

William L. Donaldson, 65, of Celina, former owner and pharmacist of Dale Hollow Pharmacy, pleaded guilty on Sept. 11, 2025 a week before a criminal trial was set to begin in Cookeville.

Michigan Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2025)

Michigan

Travis Eskridge, 54, of Grosse Pointe Park, a registered nurse at Ascension St. John Hospital in Detroit, was sentenced to two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to tampering with a consumer product with reckless disregard for patients' risk, involving fentanyl.

California Nurse Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2025)

California

Former Fresno nurse Melissa Galvani, found guilty of stealing fentanyl from her employer (the Ear, Nose, and Throat Medical Center in northeast Fresno) in 2019, was sentenced to 180 days in custody (split 90 days jail, 90 days work program) and two years of probation; her nursing license was suspended.

Tennessee Nurse Charged in Opioid Diversion Case (2025)

Tennessee

Elizabeth Rainwater, a former nurse in Williamson County, Tennessee, was charged with impersonating a licensed professional and fraudulently obtaining a controlled substance, allegedly diverting controlled substances including opioids at a nursing home in Franklin.

Washington Pharmacist Faces License Action Over Controlled Substance Diversion (2025)

Washington

Pharmacist Zackary W. Beard entered an agreed order with the Washington Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission in February 2025 placing his license on probation with enrollment in a recovery assistance program; he diverted controlled substances on multiple occasions between December 2021 and October 2022.

Washington Health Care Worker Faces License Action Over Controlled Substance Diversion (2025)

Washington

The Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission indefinitely suspended pharmacy assistant Alona Lynn D. Benitez's credential in June 2025; she admitted diverting controlled substances from her workplace for personal reasons.

Alabama Nurse Convicted in Opioid Diversion Case (2025, case 2)

Alabama

Alabama Attorney General announced the conviction of Tiffany Alexander Fields, former director of nursing at a Montgomery nursing home, for theft of narcotics (hydrocodone tablets); announced July 11, 2025.

Maryland Prescriber Sentenced in Opioid Diversion Case (2025)

Maryland

Dr. Andrew T. Fried, a Baltimore County dentist who owned Perry Hall Family Dental, was sentenced Dec. 15, 2025 to 10 years with all but 1 day suspended and 3 years of probation after pleading guilty to one count of distributing narcotics (oxycodone); he was permanently excluded from federal healthcare programs.