Puerto Rico Nurse Indicted on Eight Counts for Tampering with Fentanyl
A federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico charged 45-year-old Jackeline Correa-Vázquez with tampering with fentanyl on May 28, 2026. The indictment triggers a federal criminal prosecution that will determine whether a licensed health-care worker diverted controlled substances from patient care.
pewresearch.orgSAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — A federal grand jury returned an eight-count indictment May 28 charging Jackeline Correa-Vázquez, a 45-year-old nurse, with tampering with fentanyl, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Puerto Rico announced June 2.
The charges target a single licensed nurse who worked in a clinical setting where fentanyl was stored and administered to patients. Federal prosecutors allege Correa-Vázquez accessed and altered fentanyl intended for legitimate medical use, though the precise number of patients or doses involved is not detailed in the charging document.
Prior to the indictment, Correa-Vázquez faced no federal charges. The new indictment initiates formal criminal proceedings in U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. Arraignment and trial dates have not yet been set; if convicted on all counts she faces potential prison time and loss of professional licensure under federal controlled-substance statutes.
The case requires the U.S. Attorney’s Office to present evidence at trial or negotiate a plea. It also obliges the Drug Enforcement Administration and hospital systems to review internal controls on Schedule II narcotics. Hospitals nationwide that handle fentanyl must now anticipate possible increased federal audits of diversion-prevention logs once the Correa-Vázquez matter becomes public record.
The indictment further activates mandatory reporting obligations to state nursing boards, which must decide on interim license suspension.
This marks the latest federal prosecution of health-care workers accused of diverting fentanyl. The Department of Justice has pursued similar tampering cases in multiple districts in recent years after hospitals reported discrepancies in controlled-substance inventories.
Primary sources: U.S. Department of Justice
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