DENTON NURSE SENTENCED FOR PRACTICING NURSING WITHOUT PROPER LICENSE
Caroline County, MD - In a recent landmark case, Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced the sentencing of Nicole Lynn Vanhorn, a 38-year-old woman from Denton, Maryland, following allegations of practicing nursing without a proper license.
The case came to its conclusion on January 22, 2025, when Vanhorn pleaded guilty to a single count of Medicaid Fraud exceeding $1,500 before Honorable Judge Mark W. Crooks of the Circuit Court for Anne Arundel County.
Vanhorn received a sentence of five years, which was suspended in lieu of an equivalent probation period. It was directed that the first three years of this probation would be supervised by the Department of Parole and Probation.
Judge Crooks mandated that throughout this probation, Vanhorn must not practice nursing unless she is accurately licensed. He also prohibited her from caring for the elderly or vulnerable adults and from employment with any healthcare agency that operates using state or federal funds.
The case against Vanhorn dates back to August 2023. During that period, Vanhorn procured employment at Denton Nursing and Rehab, Caroline County, Maryland, by claiming to be a qualified registered nurse.
To substantiate her claim, she used the credentials of a licensed nurse from Pennsylvania sharing a similar name. She further falsely claimed to have earned degrees from the University of Pennsylvania and Pennsylvania State University. However, both institutions confirmed having no record of her enrollment.
In the duration from August 11, 2023, to August 29, 2023, Vanhorn served in the capacity of a registered nurse supervisor at the Denton Nursing and Rehab. Acting in this position, she administered medications, supervised certified medical assistants, and served patients.
Through her deliberate misrepresentation of her professional qualifications, she led Maryland Medicaid to pay $3,576.20 for medical services she was unqualified to provide.
Attorney General Brown remarked on the situation, stating the criticality of nursing licensure to ensure competent patient care. He warned against the dangers posed by individuals who fraudulently practice as medical providers, particularly when their patients are among the most vulnerable segments of the population, such as the elderly and the disabled.
In concluding his announcement, Attorney General Brown expressed gratitude to the Medicaid Fraud and Vulnerable Victims Unit, specifically acknowledging Unit Chief Zak Shirley, Assistant Attorney General Kelly A. Casper, Investigators Mark Janowitz and Michael Regan, Senior Auditor Todd Sheffer and their counterparts in the Delaware Medicaid Fraud Control Unit for their efforts on this case.
