Nurse used syringe to swap fentanyl with another liquid at Michigan hospital, feds say

A registered nurse accused of swapping vials of fentanyl with another liquid while working at a Michigan hospital faces up to 10 years in federal prison, officials say.

Alison Marshall, of Sturgis, was recently charged with tampering with a consumer product in the Western District of Michigan, according to a Feb. 1 news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

The defense attorney representing Marshall did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Authorities say the 46-year-old nurse used a syringe to extract the liquid opioid before “replacing it with another liquid, knowing that the diluted fentanyl was to be dispensed to patients” in July and August 2020. At the time, she was working in the interventional radiology unit, which uses minimally-invasive procedures to diagnose and treat diseases.

In an indictment filed in court, authorities say the bottles of fentanyl she tampered with were stored inside Pyxis machines within the hospital. Pyxis machines are an “automated medication dispensing system that helps clinicians deliver medicine safely and efficiently.”

Officials have not said what kind of liquid she is accused of replacing the fentanyl with or what her motive might have been.

Fentanyl is used to treat severe pain, though it is also highly addictive.

If Marshall is convicted of the tampering charge, her sentencing will be determined by a federal district court judge.

This story was originally published February 1, 2022 at 3:47 PM with the headline "Nurse used syringe to swap fentanyl with another liquid at Michigan hospital, feds say."