Utah Nurse Accused of Distributing Morphine that Resulted in Death

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Today, a United States Magistrate Judge ordered a Utah nurse remain in custody after she was arrested last week and indicted by a federal grand jury for allegedly illegally distributing and dispensing morphine that resulted in the death of another person. 

According to court documents, Catherine Worman, 33, of Sandy, allegedly distributed and dispensed morphine on June 5, 2023, resulting in the death of one person. Worman was employed as a nurse at a local hospital at the time of the offense. Court documents allege Worman also distributed and dispensed morphine to at least one other person. During the investigation into the death of victim one, Draper Police officers learned from another victim that Worman intravenously administered morphine to him without a prescription. According to the victim, he became extremely ill because of the morphine administered by Worman and feared for his life. Additional information extracted from Worman’s cell phone reveals she was unlawfully obtaining Adderall prescribed for others and trading it. Worman was also illegally obtaining prescription medications from another healthcare worker with whom she was romantically involved. At the time of her arrest, Worman was employed in healthcare and the U.S. Attorney’s Office requested she remain detained pending trial.  

Worman is charged with distribution of morphine resulting in death. Her initial court appearance on the indictment was Jan. 19, 2024, before a U.S. Magistrate Judge at the Orrin G. Hatch United States District Courthouse in downtown Salt Lake City. 

U.S. Attorney, Trina A. Higgins, of the District of Utah made the announcement.

The case is being investigated by the Draper Police Department.

The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Utah is prosecuting the case. 

An indictment is merely an allegation and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.