For Immediate Release:
February 11, 2025
For press inquiries only, contact:
Amanda Priest (334) 322-5694
William Califf (334) 604-3230
(Montgomery, Ala) – Attorney General Steve Marshall announced a Birmingham nurse pled guilty to the theft of opioid tablets from the nursing home where he was employed. Dozier Micah Blanks, 39, worked at a Birmingham-area nursing home where he was responsible for distributing medication to residents of the facility.
In July of 2024, a nurse discovered missing hydrocodone, an opioid used for the treatment of pain. After an investigation by the facility, Blanks was terminated. The Alabama Department of Public Health referred this case to the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Agents reviewed patient records and found discrepancies involving over 100 hydrocodone tablets over the course of approximately two months. A warrant was obtained for Blanks’ arrest.
Blanks pled guilty to Theft of Property in the Second Degree, a Class C felony. Judge William A. Bell, Jr. pronounced a 15-month suspended sentence consistent with the Alabama Sentencing Guidelines.
Attorney General Marshall thanked agents of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their work in investigating the case and Assistant Attorney General Nathan W. Mays who prosecuted it.
“Stealing medication intended for vulnerable patients is a serious betrayal of trust, and my office will not tolerate it. This conviction sends a clear message that those who exploit their positions to divert opioids for personal use will be held accountable. I commend the diligent work of our Medicaid Fraud Control Unit in bringing this case to justice and ensuring the integrity of Alabama’s healthcare system,” Attorney General Steve Marshall said.
The Medicaid Fraud Control Unit is a division of the Alabama Attorney General’s Office and receives 75% of its funding ($1.5 million for fiscal year 2024) from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General.
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