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Grimy Times
Siouxs Fall’s Fentanyl Fiasco: Registered Nurse Charged with Tampering and Fraud
In a shocking turn of events, 54-year-old Lisa Merrigan, a registered nurse at a Sioux Falls hospital, has been indicted for two counts of Tampering with Consumer Products and two counts of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Misrepresentation, Fraud, Forgery, Deception, and Subterfuge.
According to the indictment, Merrigan allegedly tampered with vials of fentanyl citrate for injection stored in the hospital’s Omnicell machine on August 23, 2021, and September 7, 2021. She removed the fentanyl citrate from the vials and replaced it with another liquid, knowing that the diluted fentanyl citrate could be dispensed to patients at the hospital.
The indictment also alleges that Merrigan knowingly and intentionally acquired and obtained fentanyl citrate, a Schedule II controlled substance, for injections by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception, and subterfuge on the same dates.
The maximum penalty upon conviction is up to 10 years in federal prison and/or a $250,000 fine, three years of supervised release, and up to $400 to the Federal Crime Victims Fund. Restitution may also be ordered.
Merrigan was released on bond pending trial. A trial date has not been set. The investigation is being conducted by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration, and the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Ann M. Hoffman is prosecuting the case. The charges are merely accusations, and Merrigan is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty.
Tampering with consumer products and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud are serious crimes that put patients’ lives at risk. Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and provide updates as more information becomes available.
Key Facts
- State: South Dakota
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Fraud & Financial Crimes|Violent Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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