Executive Summary
- Lisa Driscoll is set for sentencing on April 15 in St. John's for impersonating a nurse.
- She pleaded guilty to fraud and identity theft charges involving long-term care homes.
- A separate verdict is pending in Gander for the alleged theft of Ativan pills.
- Driscoll has a prior conviction in Ontario for criminal negligence regarding her son's death.
Lisa Driscoll, a 46-year-old resident of Bonavista, is scheduled to appear in provincial court in St. John’s on April 15 for sentencing related to her fraudulent use of stolen credentials to secure employment as a nurse. According to court filings, Driscoll used the stolen identities to obtain positions at long-term care homes in St. John’s, leading to her guilty pleas on multiple charges including fraud over $5,000 and identity theft.
The sentencing hearing follows a series of delays in the judicial process. Court records indicate that the original sentencing date of January 15 was postponed after Driscoll requested a delay citing mental health issues and the need for her mother's input in the pre-sentence report. Although the judge initially rejected the request, the hearing was ultimately delayed when Driscoll failed to appear, reportedly due to hospitalization. Consequently, her previous defense lawyer, Candace Summers, withdrew from the case on January 30.
Driscoll is now represented by new counsel, Dan Furey, who appeared with her via phone on February 11 to set the new spring sentencing date. She has pleaded guilty to two counts of fraud over $5,000, two counts of identity theft with intent to commit a crime, and one probation violation. However, eight additional charges remain before the St. John’s court, including perjury and violations of provincial nursing acts.
In a separate legal proceeding in Gander, Driscoll is awaiting a verdict regarding a trial for a single count of theft under $5,000. Prosecutors allege that in November 2022, while working as a nurse under false pretenses, she stole an unknown quantity of Ativan pills from a care home medication room. Driscoll has pleaded not guilty to this specific allegation. The trial concluded in early February after several postponements.
Background information provided during the proceedings revealed Driscoll’s prior criminal history. At the time of her arrest in Newfoundland, she was on probation following a sentence in Ontario of two-and-a-half years in prison for criminal negligence causing the death of her four-year-old son, who had ingested opioid painkillers prescribed to her.
It is important to note that while guilty pleas have been entered for specific fraud charges, Driscoll remains presumed innocent regarding the outstanding charges and the theft allegation in Gander until proven guilty in a court of law.
Judicial Trajectory
The convergence of sentencing in St. John’s and a verdict delivery in Gander marks a critical juncture in a complex legal narrative spanning multiple jurisdictions. The court's handling of the scheduling delays suggests a rigorous adherence to procedural due process, balancing the defendant's rights with the public interest in resolving allegations of healthcare fraud. As the provincial court prepares to finalize sentencing, the outcome may underscore the severity with which the justice system treats identity theft within the healthcare sector, particularly when public safety in long-term care facilities is compromised.
