POLICE NEWS: Travel nurse accused of fentanyl tampering at local hospital

Aug. 24—An Allen County man faces accusations he tampered with medications while working as a local nurse last year.

Matthew Clem, 41, Woodburn, was charged with Level 5 felony counts of practicing medicine without a license and interfering with medical services in a case filed last Wednesday. The case stems from an investigation through the Indiana Attorney General's Office'sMedicaid Fraud Control Unit.

According to the allegations, Clem tampered with delivery systems and equipment for the painkiller fentanyl, apparently from around late September through late November 2020 while he worked as a travel nurse at Elkhart General Hospital's critical care unit. Details in the probable cause affidavit in the case show Clem also allegedly tampered with one patient's diabetes prescription at the hospital.

Other nurses apparently grew suspicious of Clem over that time as they discovered issues with fentanyl systems that would be considered rare under normal circumstances, the affidavit shows.

The situation culminated until a nurse said Clem was found in a supply closet loading pockets with various items, including two syringes that he'd claimed were for drawing a patient's potassium. He also allegedly dropped two pieces related to fentanyl equipment, according to the affidavit.

Security was notified, and Clem had allegedly tried to leave the hospital, but was called back and confronted. The syringes were found in a trash can, while other equipment was found stuffed in a blanket outside a room. A check showed the syringes contained, "a liquid more consistent with fentanyl than saline, suggesting the presence of both, but containing more fentanyl," the affidavit states.

Clem was let go from the hospital then, the affidavit shows.

The investigation also found Clem had manipulated the so-called "drip rate" on fentanyl prescriptions for five patients without a doctor's order between Oct. 3 and Nov. 17. New fentanyl bags were also found to have been hung by Clem when they shouldn't have been for six patients between Oct. 5 and Nov. 17.

The case was filed in Elkhart County Superior Court 2.

This case also comes after Clem was charged with obtaining a controlled substance by fraud and failure to keep records in Allen County in May.

ARRESTS

—Jesse Estes, 36, homeless, Goshen, was arrested by Goshen police and jailed on a charge of resisting law enforcement after police responded to a situation in the 500 block of South Sixth Street around 11:05 p.m. Sunday. Police said Estes fled from police and was stopped after a short chase.

—Trevor Tavallali, 26, 22950 Jennifer Lane, Elkhart, was arrested by Goshen police and jailed on charges of resisting law enforcement and reckless driving after police said he fled from a traffic stop at Elkhart and Bashor roads, and led police on a short pursuit around 4:30 p.m. Sunday.

—Tyler Reiff, 26, South Bend, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of hypodermic needles and false informing, as well as on a warrant following a traffic stop at C.R. 26 and Ind. 19 around 12:25 p.m. Sunday.

—Sergey Kolennitchenko, 24, 6365 N. 1200 West, Middlebury, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on a charge of driving with a suspended license and on a warrant following a traffic stop at U.S. 20 and Wayne Street in Middlebury around 7:30 p.m. Saturday.

—Vivian Arousell, 44, Bristol, was arrested by Elkhart County police and jailed on a charge of domestic battery after police responded to an incident in the 15000 block of Larry Lee Drive around 8:20 p.m. Saturday.

—Timothy Miller Jr., 28, was arrested by LaGrange County police and jailed on a charge of criminal trespassing after police responded to a call to the 4100 block of South 900 East in LaGrange on Friday.

TRESPASSING

Goshen police issued a trespassing warning to a male after responding to a call to a business in the 500 block of East Madison Street around 4:20 p.m. Sunday.

CRIMINAL RECKLESSNESS

Benjamin Riggs reported to Elkhart County police a person punched his vehicle and damaged it during a road rage incident in the area of C.R. 22 and C.R. 29 near Goshen around 4:30 p.m. Friday.

HIT-AND-RUN

William Lucas reported to Elkhart County police a vehicle crashed into his father's house, 19791 C.R. 18, near Goshen around 8:30 p.m. Friday. The driver of the vehicle then left the scene before police arrived.

RUNAWAY

Staff at Bashor Children's Home reported to Elkhart County police a 16-year-old boy ran away from the facility, 62226 C.R. 15, in Goshen around 2:25 a.m. Thursday.

FIREWORK FOUND

Jay Woods, Goshen, reported to Elkhart County police a person placed a homemade firework in the drainage ditch at Jefferson Ridge Drive and Grant Court around 10:15 a.m. Sunday.

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