David M. Kwiatkowski, a former healthcare technician at Exeter (N.H.) Hospital, has pleaded guilty to eight counts of obtaining controlled substances by fraud and eight counts of tampering with a consumer product, according to the office of U.S. Attorney for the District of New Hampshire John P. Kacavas.
Mr. Kwiatkowski, who has hepatitis C, admitted to diverting and stealing the anesthetic fentanyl for personal use and abuse, and to replacing the used syringes with saline for use on patients, according to the release. He admitted to doing this at Exeter Hospital last year, where at least 32 patients became infected, and at other hospitals, including Hays (Kan.) Medical Center and The Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, where at least six patients at each became infected, according to the release.
Mr. Kwiatkowski pleaded guilty to all 14 charges against him in New Hampshire and to two charges filed against him in Kansas, which were transferred to New Hampshire. He faces up to 10 years in prison for each count of tampering with a consumer product, up to four years in prison for each count of obtaining controlled substances by fraud, a $250,000 fine for each offense and a term of supervised release after any sentence of imprisonment, according to the release. He is scheduled to be sentenced Dec. 3.
More Articles on the Hepatitis C Case:
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