Ohio Man Impersonated Nurse, Treated Children, Indictment Says

COLUMBUS, OH — A 27-year-old Ohio man is accused of pretending to be a nurse for four years. During his time working as a nurse, he took care of several patients, including children, Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost said Thursday.

Martez Rhandell Morris, 27, faces charges of engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, identity fraud and tampering with records.

“The only reason we charged him with this is because there’s no law against impersonating a human being,” Yost said. Morris was taken into custody on Thursday.

According to the indictment against Morris, he began impersonating a nurse in 2015. He had no legitimate nursing license and used fake documents to get hired at two home health agencies near Cincinnati.

The Ohio Attorney General's Health Care Fraud unit believes Morris stole the identity of a licensed practical nurse. He used that information to get hired at home health agencies, taking care of a variety of patients, including children, the indictment said.

Morris faces the following charges: engaging in a pattern of corrupt activity, identity fraud against a person in a protected class, identity fraud, tampering with records, telecommunications fraud, Medicaid fraud, falsification in a theft, practicing nursing without a license and endangering children.