A nurse from New York has received a five-month prison sentence for tampering with controlled substances at a surgical clinic in Connecticut. Kristen Carotenuto, 35, of Pelham, New York, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford. In addition to her prison term, Carotenuto will undergo three years of supervised release and is required to pay a fine of $5,000.
Carotenuto was employed at an outpatient surgical center in Stamford, where she had access to a secure area designated for storing controlled substances, including hydromorphone and fentanyl. According to court documents, in December 2024, she removed several vials containing these drugs from the secure storage.
Federal authorities stated that Carotenuto took the vials home, extracted the controlled substances using a syringe, and used the drugs herself. Subsequently, she refilled the vials with either saline or water before returning them to the storage area, potentially allowing them to be distributed for patient use. Authorities confirmed that there was no evidence indicating that any patients received the tampered medications.
Carotenuto pleaded guilty to tampering with a consumer product. She is currently free on a $25,000 bond and is scheduled to report to prison on October 1, 2024. Additionally, she has surrendered her nursing license.
The investigation into Carotenuto’s actions was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Office of Criminal Investigations, along with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Hartford Diversion Control Division and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division.
This case highlights the serious nature of drug tampering and the potential risks involved, even when no patients were harmed. The judicial system has taken a firm stance to discourage similar actions in the healthcare field, reinforcing the importance of integrity and accountability among healthcare professionals.
