⏱ 2 min read
Chad Hoppe, a 49-year-old former registered nurse from LeMars, Iowa, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for diverting large quantities of fentanyl and dilaudid. Between May 2024 and March 2025, Hoppe, who was working as a licensed nurse, stole the controlled substances for personal use and falsified medical records to cover his tracks. The thefts occurred while Hoppe was employed at a medical facility, where he would input false orders for narcotics, claiming to have permission from a licensed physician.
Hoppe’s crimes were uncovered after an investigation by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals Investigations Division Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. The probe revealed that Hoppe had diverted ‘staggering’ amounts of liquid fentanyl and dilaudid, including over 9,000 mcg of fentanyl in a single month. The next closest staff member at the facility pulled out just 700 mcg of fentanyl during the same period.
Hoppe pleaded guilty to the charges on March 9, 2026, and was sentenced by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand on July 9, 2026. In addition to his 30-month prison term, Hoppe was fined $1,000 and will serve a one-year term of supervised release after his release from prison.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. Hoppe’s sentence reflects the seriousness of his crimes, which not only put his own life at risk but also undermined the trust and integrity of the medical profession.
📋 Key Facts
- Crime: White Collar Crime
- Defendant: Iowa
- Location: IA
- Source: DOJ Press Release
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