Illinois nurse tampered with patient's morphine in 2021: indictment

BYRON, Ill. - An Illinois nurse is accused of tampering with a patient's morphine in 2021.

Nickole Butler, 40, of Byron, is charged with one count of tampering with a consumer product. 

Butler, who was employed as a registered nurse at a skilled nursing facility, allegedly removed liquid from a patient's liquid morphine that was prescribed to them and diluted it with another substance in May 2021.

By doing this, the patient was placed in danger of bodily injury, the indictment said.

"Patients deserve to have confidence that they are receiving the legitimately prescribed medication and not a diluted substance," said Acting U.S. Attorney Morris Pasqual. "Health care practitioners who illicitly tamper with prescription drugs will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law."

She pleaded not guilty Thursday during her arraignment in federal court.