A former paramedic from Iowa has been sentenced to more than two years in federal prison after pleading guilty to tampering with vials of narcotic pain medication. Teresa Marie Johnson, 53, of Manilla, Iowa, received her sentence on February 17, 2026. She had entered a guilty plea on October 5, 2025, to one count of tampering with a consumer product.
Johnson worked as a licensed paramedic for a county ambulance service that used fentanyl to treat patients experiencing severe pain during emergencies such as car accidents. Authorities say that starting in late 2024, Johnson tampered with the ambulance service’s fentanyl supply on three separate occasions to obtain the drug for her personal use.
An investigation revealed that one vial tampered with by Johnson contained only 9.6% of its labeled amount of fentanyl. Investigators also found evidence of adhesive residue on the vial’s cap and stopper surfaces, multiple punctures on the bottom stopper surface, and other signs that the vial had been breached. According to one of Johnson’s colleagues: “and the desired response did not happen.”
Prior to this offense, Johnson had a criminal record that included five misdemeanor theft convictions in state court and a deferred judgment for felony forgery following a guilty plea. As part of her plea agreement in this case, she agreed to surrender her State of Iowa paramedic license to federal authorities.
