Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall made an announcement on February 11, 2025, regarding a guilty plea from a nurse in Alabama. The nurse, Dozier Micah Blanks, 39, was employed at a nursing home and was responsible for distributing medication to the residents. Blanks pled guilty to the theft of opioid tablets from the facility.
In July 2024, a nurse made a discovery that hydrocodone, an opioid prescribed for pain relief, was missing. After conducting an internal investigation, Blanks was fired from his job at the nursing home in Birmingham. The Alabama Department of Public Health referred the case to the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit. Investigators examined patient records and identified inconsistencies involving more than 100 hydrocodone tablets over a span of roughly two months. Subsequently, a warrant was issued for Blanks’ arrest.
Blanks admitted his guilt for committing Theft of Property in the Second Degree, which is classified as a Class C felony. Judge William A. Bell, Jr. then handed down a 15-month suspended sentence, aligning with the guidelines set by the Alabama Sentencing Guidelines.
Attorney General Marshall thanked the agents of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their hard work in conducting the investigation. He also expressed his appreciation to Assistant Attorney General Nathan W. Mays for prosecuting the case.
“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,” said Attorney General Steve Marshall.