A registered nurse from Lithia, Florida, has pleaded guilty to multiple charges related to tampering with fentanyl and falsifying hospital records. Acting United States Attorney Sara C. Sweeney announced that Lisa Williams, aged 56, admitted guilt to six counts of tampering with a consumer product and six counts of acquiring a controlled substance through misrepresentation. Each tampering charge carries a potential maximum sentence of 10 years in federal prison, while each acquisition offense could result in up to four years. A sentencing date has yet to be determined.
Court documents reveal that on several occasions in late 2023—specifically October 30, November 5 and 28, and December 3, 9, and 10—Williams removed injectable fentanyl from a secure drawer at Hospital #1. She then partially extracted the controlled substance for personal use before replacing it with another container she had already altered. The tampered fentanyl was returned to circulation within the hospital.
The court documents also indicate that Williams manipulated hospital records by falsely reporting canceled transactions, thereby creating an appearance that nothing had been removed from the secure storage.
The investigation into this case was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration—Office of Criminal Investigations along with the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office. Assistant United States Attorney Greg Pizzo is prosecuting the case.