Nurse from Florida Steals Fentanyl 143 Times in One Month Alone

Photo for illustrative purposes only. Photo by FOKUZA on Pixabay

While nurses have access to plenty of drugs, not stealing them is pretty much part of the job description. U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger made an announcement on November 20 about a traveling nurse from St. Petersburg, Florida, who was charged with stealing fentanyl from hospitals.

Evidence shows that the nurse, 35-year-old David L. Shaeffer, used his position as a traveling nurse to steal vials of fentanyl on 143 occasions, totaling around 29,300 micrograms or 29.3 milliliters of fentanyl, from one New Jersey hospital alone between January 22 and February 14 of this year. 

Shaeffer obtained the vials from “automated medication dispensing cabinets by using an override in the system to bypass the requisite doctor’s order for the dispensing of fentanyl”. He would prescribe “the fentanyl himself to a specified patient even though he was not authorized to prescribe controlled substances”. 

Then, “Shaeffer would dispense fentanyl and fail to administer the substance to the specified patient or dispose of the substance”. Additional records show Shaeffer using comparable methods for stealing vials of fentanyl in Florida and Pennsylvania as well. 

The investigation revealed that Shaeffer unlawfully dispensed about 19,700 micrograms or 19.7 milliliters of fentanyl from a hospital in Florida and only about 100 micrograms or 0.1 milliliters of fentanyl from a hospital in Pennsylvania. 

The official legal complaint shows that Shaeffer was immediately caught after his first attempt at fraudulently obtaining the fentanyl in Pennsylvania, hence why he was only able to obtain a relatively small amount.

Shaeffer was ultimately charged with “unlawfully obtaining or acquiring controlled substances by fraud”. This charge “carries a maximum penalty of up to four years in prison and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss from the offense, whichever is greatest”. He appeared in Tampa federal court on November 20 and was released on a $50,000 bond.

Sellinger credits diversion investigators and task force officers at the federal and state level, including the Drug Enforcement Administration, Tampa Field Office, and the St. Petersburg Police Department, “with the investigation leading to the arrest”. 

Sellinger’s press release also reminds the public that the “charges and allegations contained in the complaint are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty”.

Click here to view the official 12-page legal complaint against David L. Shaeffer.
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Article by Ema Tibbetts