October 03, 2017 - 12:48 PM
VICTORIA, Texas - Prosecutors say a woman with no medical training who faked being a registered nurse to get jobs in South Texas must serve 14 months in federal prison.
Leticia Gallarzo (gah-YAHR'-zoh) was sentenced Tuesday in Victoria. The 43-year-old former Goliad (GOH'-lee-ad) resident pleaded guilty in July to five counts of making false statements related to health care.
Prosecutors say during 2015 Gallarzo worked at two hospitals and three nursing homes in five Texas cities — Victoria, Palacios (puh-LA'-shuhs), Yoakum, Goliad and Yorktown. When the fraud was discovered, Gallarzo would leave and immediately go to work at another medical facility.
State regulators have said Gallarzo used a registered nursing license number belonging to someone with a similar name.
Gallarzo must also pay more than $34,000 in restitution.
News from © The Associated Press, 2017