A registered nurse in Connecticut has been sentenced to five months in prison for tampering with controlled substances at a surgical clinic. Kristen Carotenuto, 35, from Pelham, New York, was also ordered to undergo three years of supervised release and pay a $5,000 fine. The sentence was handed down by U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford.
Carotenuto worked 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 federal authorities, the nurse removed multiple vials containing these medications from the secure storage in December 2024.
Upon taking the vials home, Carotenuto used a syringe to extract the controlled substances for her personal use. To conceal her actions, she refilled the vials with saline or water and returned them to the storage area, making them available for potential patient use. Fortunately, authorities indicated that there is no evidence that any patients received the tampered medications.
Carotenuto pleaded guilty to the charge of 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. Following the legal proceedings, she has surrendered her nursing license.
The investigation was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration, 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 underscores the importance of strict adherence to protocols for handling controlled substances in healthcare settings, particularly regarding access and distribution. The actions of one individual can have serious implications not only for their career but also for patient safety.
