In 2020, a nurse in Ocala, Florida, was sentenced to 4 years of probation after pleading nolo contendere to one count of welfare fraud. In addition to the state sentence, her nursing license was also permanently revoked by the Florida Health Department.

If you or someone you love holds a nursing license and is being disciplined by your state board for conduct that occurred outside of your professional role, Lento Law Firm can help. Call 888-535-3686 today or schedule a consultation online.

Professional Licenses Impacted by All Conduct

Most individuals think that their licenses are only affected by the state licensing board. If a problem occurs in their lives outside of work, they tend to be surprised when it impacts their professional license. In this case, the nurse in question was arrested in 2019 after being accused of failing to report $90,000 in income from two different employers between 2015 and 2018 so that she could receive public assistance.

As a result of her fraudulent income reports, the nurse was able to receive over $12,000 in Food Stamp Benefits during that time. After being arrested, she pled nolo contendere, which means that she was accepting the conviction without admitting guilt. In addition to her probation sentence, she was ordered to pay back the monetary value of the food stamps and an additional $50 per month.

During her probation, the Florida Department of Health filed an administrative complaint against her and requested the Board of Nursing to revoke or suspend her license. Under Florida law, nurses who enter a plea of nolo contendere for fraudulent practices can have their license suspended, revoked, or prevented from renewal.

How Lento Law Firm Can Help

Being accused of a state or federal crime is overwhelming, but knowing it could affect your professional license, even if it has nothing to do with your work, is even harder. In fact, every action you take, good or bad, can have consequences for your professional license. This is especially true for professionals who are placed on probation by the government and are still responsible for their income, residency, and family needs.

Preventing such professionals from continuing to work can impact their mental and physical health, self-esteem, and ability to provide for themselves and the people who count on them. Moreover, government-imposed probation sentences can prevent professionals from moving to another state to pursue a different career. It can also impact their ability to go back to school, qualify for student loans, or even be hired by alternative employers.

To prevent yourself from experiencing such consequences, it is important you speak to one of the members of the Lento Law Firm Professional License Defense Team today. Call 888-535-3686 today or schedule a consultation online.