Attorney General Raúl Torrez Charges Alleged Imposter Nurse in Las Cruces Who Nearly Caused Patient Death and Administered Narcotics to Juveniles 

Las Cruces, NM – This week, following an investigation by the Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Bureau of the New Mexico Department of Justice (NMDOJ), a Doña Ana County grand jury issued an indictment against Margarita Gonzalez for allegedly assuming the identities of nurses in Texas to gain employment in four Las Cruces nursing facilities and illegally providing care to patients – including an incident that could have been fatal. Gonzalez has been charged with 34 counts of misconduct including Identity Theft, Nursing Without a License, Abuse of a Resident, Distribution of Controlled Substances to a Minor, and Fraud totaling over $25,000 and more.

If convicted on all counts, the defendant could face up to 100 years in prison.

“Impersonating a healthcare provider is a reckless and selfish crime that subjects those most vulnerable to risk of serious injury or death,” said Attorney General Raúl Torrez. “I will not tolerate those who risk the safety of patients or cause danger and unnecessary confusion within the healthcare system. These charges should keep anyone attempting to pose as a healthcare provider on notice: we will find you, and we will prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law to protect New Mexicans.”

Subscribe to the Daily Las Cruces Digest

* indicates required

Email Address *

First Name *How would you like to be addressed in personalized emails?

/* real people should not fill this in and expect good things – do not remove this or risk form bot signups */

The NMDOJ’s investigation revealed that Gonzalez, who possesses no nursing license or credentials, illegally administered injections and dispensed prescribed medications – including dispensing narcotics to eight juvenile inpatient residents. Additionally, the investigation uncovered that Gonzalez nearly administered an incorrect insulin dose to a patient, which could have caused serious incident or resulted in death. The error was caught by her orientating nurse before the dose was administered.

The defendant was terminated by several facilities due to patient safety concerns after displaying a questionable method of delivering medical care and a lack of knowledge during patient care. She was employed by Village at Northrise, Las Cruces Wellness and Rehabilitation, Peak Behavioral Health and Matrix Home Care, all of which paid compensation to her based on the fraudulent licenses, accounting for a significant portion of the fraudulent total.

Grand Jury Indictment

This case was investigated by the NMDOJ’s Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Bureau (MFEAB). The New Mexico MFEAB receives 75 percent of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a grant award totaling $3,623,761.71 for federal fiscal year 2026. The remaining 25 percent, totaling $1,207,920.57 for fiscal year 2026, is funded by the State of New Mexico.