Hospital Tech Who Spread Hepatitis C To Face Sentencing

By Nick Blumberg
Published: Monday, December 2, 2013 - 6:49am

A technician who worked in 18 hospitals around the country, including in Arizona, will face sentencing Monday in a New Hampshire court.

David Kwiatkowski has Hepatitis C. He stole painkillers and contaminated syringes used on hospital patients with his blood. Nearly 50 patients were confirmed to be infected with the virus because of Kwiatkowski in four states. He had been fired several times over alleged drug use, including in Arizona, where he worked in 2009 and 2010.

Prosecutors have argued Kwiatkowski should get 40 years in prison, calling the tainted syringes a national public health crisis. Defense attorneys said he should only get 30 years behind bars, in part because drug addiction affected his judgement.

Kwiatkowski is scheduled to be sentenced Monday in Concord, NH.