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Leticia Gallarzo was sentenced Tuesday to more than six years in federal prison after prosecutors said she stole identities to work in health care, including as a nurse or physician’s assistant, across state lines. U.S. District Judge Paul Maloney imposed the sentence in federal court in the western Michigan region, according to a Justice Department announcement cited by the Associated Press.
Federal prosecutors said Gallarzo created false nursing credentials and used another person’s identity to get jobs that involved patient care tasks. U.S. Attorney Tim VerHey said it was a “happy accident” that Gallarzo did not harm anyone while she began working with patients, including taking actions such as starting intravenous lines, distributing medications, removing catheter lines and supervising others.
The case began with allegations tied to Michigan, where Gallarzo pleaded guilty in 2023 to identity theft after prosecutors accused her of creating a false nurse’s license and other credentials to work at a Michigan nursing home. The record also described an earlier conviction and prison term for impersonating a nurse in Texas, establishing a prior criminal pattern before the Michigan case concluded.
Authorities said Gallarzo left Michigan in 2024 while awaiting sentencing and later worked in the Chicago area as a physician’s assistant under the license and identity of another person. Prosecutors said she was finally caught again last September near Los Angeles, where she was again working as a nurse despite failing to have real credentials.
Gallarzo’s defense sought leniency, and her attorney, Rachel Frank, pointed to Gallarzo’s background, telling the court that Gallarzo has a history of mental health struggles. In a court filing cited in the report, Frank said Gallarzo “loved taking care of people” and believed she was doing something important, while also asserting that Gallarzo now recognizes her conduct—particularly after being punished for it in the past—was unacceptable.