A nurse from Pelham, New York, has been sentenced to five months in prison for tampering with vials of hydromorphone and fentanyl at a Stamford surgical clinic. Kristen Carotenuto, 35, received her sentence from U.S. District Judge Vernon D. Oliver in Hartford. In addition to the prison term, she will serve three years of supervised release and must pay a $5,000 fine.
According to court documents and statements made during the proceedings, Carotenuto worked as a nurse at an outpatient surgical center in Stamford where she had access to controlled substances stored in a secure area. In December 2024, she removed several vials containing hydromorphone or fentanyl from storage. She took these vials home, extracted the drugs using a syringe for personal use, then refilled the vials with saline or water before returning them to the storage area where they could have been distributed for patient use. Authorities stated there is no evidence that any patients received tampered medications.
Carotenuto pleaded guilty on August 7, 2025, to tampering with a consumer product.
She is currently released on a $25,000 bond and is required to report to prison on October 1. She has surrendered her nursing license.
The investigation was conducted by the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations; the DEA’s Hartford Diversion Control Division; and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection’s Drug Control Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Ray Miller prosecuted the case.
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