Traveling nurse who worked in Roanoke will do time for tampering with fentanyl

ROANOKE, Va. – A traveling nurse who worked in Roanoke will spend years in prison for tampering with vials of fentanyl.

Joseph Howard, 34, of Ashland, Kentucky, worked in Roanoke between November 2017 and December 2017. During that time, he replaced liquid fentanyl with saline and gave the diluted vials to hospital patients. 

Howard was sentenced last week to 3.5 years in prison. 

He had previously pleaded guilty to one count of tampering with a consumer producer that affects interstate commerce, with reckless disregard for the risk that another person will be placed in danger of death or serious injury. 

Fentanyl is used to treat severe pain and is highly addictive.