Nurse who worked in Roanoke sentenced to 3.5 years in prison for tampering with fentanyl

ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR News) – A nurse who worked in Roanoke was sentenced to 3 and a half years in prison after prosecutors said he tampered with vials of fentanyl and replaced the drug with saline. 

According to the United States Attorney Thomas T. Cullen, 34-year-old Joseph Howard of Ashland, Kentucky pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with consumer producer that affects interstate commerce, with reckless regard for the risk that another person will be placed in danger of death or serious injury. 

The United States Attorney office provided the following statement and information: 

“Fentanyl and other powerful opioids are being abused at epidemic rates across the country,” U.S. Attorney Cullen stated today. “Hospitals, doctor’s offices, pharmacies, and manufacturers must do everything in their power to track and control every dose of these addictive and often-abused drugs to ensure they are being used in accordance with limited prescribed uses.”

“Patients deserve to have confidence that they are receiving the proper treatment from those entrusted with providing their medical care,” said Mark S. McCormack, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations’ Metro Washington Field Office.  “As part of the FDA’s comprehensive work to address the opioid epidemic, the agency will continue to hold medical personnel accountable when they take advantage of their unique position and tamper with drugs needed by their patients, especially when such tampering could cause unnecessary pain and suffering.”

According to evidence presented at previous hearings by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer, Howard worked as a traveling nurse in Roanoke between November 2017 and December 2017. During that time, the defendant tampered with vials of liquid fentanyl, extracted the fentanyl for his personal use and replaced it with saline. Howard caused the diluted vials to be available for use by patients at the hospital where he worked.

The investigation of the case was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration-OCI, the Virginia Department of Health Professions, and the Virginia State Police.  Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer prosecuted the case for the United States.