After third conviction, ‘fake nurse' finally gets 75 months in prison
A woman in Michigan has been sentenced to 75 months in prison for impersonating a registered nurse (RN), falsifying medical records to “prove” she had the credentials.
Leticia Gallarzo, 51, held a role at a nursing home between August 2022 and May 2023. Through an ad on Indeed.com, prosecutors said she was able to pass as an RN by impersonating a real one—an unnamed woman in Michigan. The charges against Gallarzo included "aggravated identity theft” for intentionally impersonating a real human being.
According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), the fake nurse forged a nursing license, diploma and identification to “make it appear to the nursing home that she was in fact an individual trained and licensed” as an RN.
What elements of this scheme included using the identity of a real nurse were not revealed. The DOJ did add that, at one time, Gallarzo “applied for and obtained a promotion” as a unit manager—a supervisor who managed other clinicians as they provided care to nursing home residents. During her tenure, prosecutors said she provided hands-on care to elderly and disabled patients, including administering medications, placing IVs and conducting health assessments normally performed by licensed professionals.
“This 75-month federal prison sentence sends a clear and unmistakable message: no one gets to lie about their credentials, falsify medical records, or steal identities without facing serious consequences,” Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office said. “Leticia Gallarzo abused the trust placed in medical professionals and put patients at risk. Because of the relentless work of the FBI Grand Rapids Resident Agency, she can no longer fraudulently perform patient assessments or endanger this community.”
As is common with DOJ investigations, multiple agencies were involved, including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Michigan.
Gallarzo’s masquerade was uncovered after the nursing home demoted her due to poor performance. As she began to look for another job, prosecutors said employers discovered her real identity and notified authorities.
A serial offender
Gallarzo was formally charged in Sept. 2023, pleading guilty a month later. However, the DOJ said she fled jurisdiction and was able to gain employment in both Illinois and California as a nurse and physician assistant before police caught up to her.
She was arrested recently in Los Angeles and sent back to Michigan for sentencing, which happened on Jan. 26.
The DOJ revealed that the history of impersonations did not begin in 2022—in fact, this is Gallarzo's third conviction. She was previously charged and found guilty in 2016 and again in 2017, by Michigan and Texas respectively.
“Despite her convictions by those authorities, Gallarzo was not deterred,” the DOJ concluded.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.