Former health care worker sentenced for fentanyl thefts

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A former nurse was sentenced to 12 months and a day in prison for stealing fentanyl from two hospitals where she worked. 

Faith Naccarato, 42, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to two counts of tampering with a consumer product and two counts of possession of fentanyl by deception and subterfuge.

According to court documents, between January 2020 and April 2020, Naccarato, used her fingerprint to remove vials of fentanyl from an automated dispensing cabinet in the surgical specialty unit at Menorah Medical Center in Overland Park. She replaced the fentanyl with saline solution before placing the vials back in the cabinet.

Between February 2020 and April 2020, Naccarato took vials of fentanyl from an automated dispensing cabinet in the noninvasive cardiology unit at AdventHealth Shawnee Mission in Meriam. She replaced the fentanyl with saline solution and then placed the vials back in the cabinet.

Naccarato told investigators she stole the fentanyl for personal use.

“Our medical facilities are not immune from the effects of the growing fentanyl addiction crisis in our country, and as a result, the District of Kansas prosecutes a growing number of cases against health care providers accused of stealing medication intended to go to patients,” said Kate E. Brubacher,

U.S. Attorney. “The Justice Department believes stopping these abuses is paramount to guarding the public trust: people must have confidence in the integrity of their health care.”

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) investigated the case.