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  1. Press Releases

New Haven Nurse Admits Tampering with and Stealing Lorazepam Vials

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Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney's Office
District of Connecticut

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, December 11, 2024

Vanessa Roberts Avery, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, announced that SEAN FALZARANO, 38, of Southbury, pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford to tampering with and stealing Lorazepam vials at the hospital where he was employed as a nurse.

Falzarano was employed at Yale New Haven Hospital (YNHH) as a Registered Nurse.  As part of his employment, Falzarano was granted access to secure locations used by YNHH to store controlled substances, including Lorazepam.  On January 31, 2022, Falzarano took vials containing Lorazepam solution that he knew were intended to be dispensed to patients.  He removed a portion of the Lorazepam solution from at least one of the vials, replaced the contents with an inert solution, and returned the vial to the secure location where it was available for distribution to patients.  Falzarano also kept at least one vial that he had taken.

Falzarano pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer product, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of 10 years, and one count of acquiring a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, an offense that carries a maximum term of imprisonment of four years.  Judge Oliver scheduled sentencing for March 5.

Falzarano is released on a $50,000 bond pending sentencing.

Falzarano’s nursing license is currently suspended.

This matter has been investigated by the Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection, Drug Control Division.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller.

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