Brandon Nurse Pleads Guilty To Filling False Oxycodone Prescriptions

BRANDON, FL — A Brandon nurse has pleaded guilty to 10 counts of unlawfully distributing a controlled substance and one count of acquiring a controlled substance by fraud after being accused of writing fake prescriptions for oxycodone.

According to the U.S. District Court in Tampa, Jacquelyn DeVito, 40, of Brandon, faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in federal prison for each unlawful drug distribution count and up to four years in federal prison for acquiring a controlled substance by fraud.

DeVito has also agreed to forfeit her Florida advanced practical registered nurse license and her registered nurse license, according to the courts.

According to the plea agreement, between March 2020 and June 2022, DeVito worked as an ARNP and RN at an urgent care medical office where she introduced herself to patients and offered to provide separate home health services through her privately owned company, Bee Home Medical LLC.

By signing up these patients, she acquired their names and dates of birth, which she used to prescribe oxycodone without their knowledge, according to court records.

DeVito filled prescriptions for the addictive opioid in the names of her patients at local pharmacies, telling the pharmacists that she was the patients' caregiver and was picking up the drugs on their behalf.

During the Drug Enforcement Administration’s investigation, several patients interviewed said they had no knowledge of the prescriptions and had no legitimate need for oxycodone, according to court records.

The DEA said DeVito acquired more than 2,900 oxycodone pills over the two-year period.

No date for her sentencing has been set.