U.S. Attorney Carlton S. Shier IV | U.S. Department of Justice
A Lexington, Kentucky woman, Abigail Hall, 51, has pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product. The plea was entered on Monday before U.S. District Judge Gregory Van Tatenhove.
Hall's plea agreement reveals that she worked as a contract registered nurse at several facilities in Kentucky from January 2023 to August 2023. Her employment included a healthcare facility in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, specializing in the care of the elderly and infirm. On August 27, 2023, Hall took morphine prescribed for three patients under her care at the facility. These patients had significant disease and pain concerns. She replaced the stolen morphine with water and blue food coloring to mimic the appearance of the actual medication. Hall ultimately took at least seven syringes of morphine and administered the tampered substance to one patient.
"Instead of actually caring for the patients in her charge – patients who needed their pain medication – she stole their medicine and even administered fake medicine to one of them," said Carlton S. Shier IV, United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Kentucky. "Her conduct was as disgraceful as it was deceptive and callous. Fortunately, through the hard work of our law enforcement partners, she will now face the consequences of her profound betrayal."
"Patients suffering from pain trust their health care providers to provide relief through effective and appropriately dosed medications," stated Special Agent in Charge George A. Scavdis from FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. "We will continue to pursue and bring to justice healthcare professionals who violate their position of trust and jeopardize patients’ health and well-being by tampering with their pain medications."
The guilty plea was jointly announced by United States Attorney Shier and Special Agent in Charge Scavdis.
The investigation into Hall's actions was conducted by FDA-OCI, with Assistant U.S. Attorney Kate Smith prosecuting on behalf of the United States.
Hall is scheduled for sentencing on March 24, 2025, at 1:30 p.m., facing a maximum sentence of up to ten years in prison along with potential restitution and fines. The final sentence will be determined by the Court after considering U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and federal sentencing statutes.
