Former Nurse Sentenced to 18 Months in Federal Prison for Tampering with Morphine Medications at Moses Lake Clinic
Spokane, Washington – In a shocking turn of events, Esther Rae Tuller, a 41-year-old former nurse from Moses Lake, Washington, has been sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for tampering with morphine medication while working as a registered nurse at the Confluence Health Clinic in Moses Lake.
According to court documents, between August 2019 and April 2020, Tuller used syringes to remove morphine from at least 17 vials and ingested that morphine as part of her own opioid addiction. She then replaced the morphine with a saline solution and attempted to glue the caps back onto the vials to make them appear intact.
Before Tuller was apprehended by law enforcement, at least one Confluence Health patient who was prescribed morphine had to be rushed to the emergency room; that patient continued to be in excruciating pain after receiving only saline from what was supposed to be morphine vials. In sentencing Ms. Tuller, Chief Judge Stanley A. Bastian noted that Tuller’s conduct did not simply involve stealing medications, but putting patients at risk.
United States Attorney Vanessa R. Waldref emphasized that fostering safe and strong communities in Eastern Washington means addressing the opioid epidemic in all of its forms. “While Ms. Tuller’s addiction to opioids is both tragic and far too common, her decision to take advantage of her access to medical-grade morphine was an egregious breach of trust. It is deeply troubling that she compounded her misconduct by secretly replacing that morphine with saline in vials that she knew would be distributed to patients, recklessly endangering patients who rely on the integrity of our health care system every day.”
Esther Rae Tuller, a 41-year-old registered nurse, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for tampering with morphine medication at the Confluence Health Clinic in Moses Lake, Washington. Her position as a nurse provided her with access to medications, including opioid narcotics such as morphine, an opioid derivative commonly prescribed by hospitals and health care facilities to relieve pain.
The investigation was conducted by the DEA’s Diversion Group in the Seattle Field Office, and the FDA’s Office of Criminal Investigations, Seattle Domicile. Assistant United States Attorneys Dan Fruchter and Tyler H.L. Tornabene prosecuted this matter on behalf of the United States.
Tuller was also sentenced to three years of supervised release following her prison term.
Defendant: Esther Rae Tuller
Criminal Charges: Tampering with Morphine Medications
City and State: Moses Lake, Washington
Exact Date: Not provided, but sentencing occurred on an unknown date in 2023 (note: the source does not specify the exact date)
Sentence: 18 months in federal prison, followed by 3 years of supervised release
Defendant’s Background: Esther Rae Tuller, a 41-year-old registered nurse, was employed at the Confluence Health Clinic in Moses Lake, Washington, between August 2019 and April 2020. Her position as a nurse provided her with access to medications, including opioid narcotics such as morphine.
Tags: Esther Rae Tuller, Tampering with Morphine, Confluence Health Clinic, Moses Lake, Washington, 2023
Category: Drug Trafficking
Keywords: morphine tampering, opioid addiction, healthcare professionals, federal prison, supervised release
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Key Facts
- State: Washington
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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