Former Le Mars nurse sentenced for stealing controlled substances, identity theft
A former registered Le Mars nurse has been sentenced to more than two years of prison time after being found guilty of diverting “staggering” amounts of liquid fentanyl and dilaudid for personal use.
49-year-old Chad Hoppe pleaded guilty in March to one count each of false statements relating to health care matters and aggravated identity theft, and was sentenced in Sioux City last week by United States District Court Judge Leonard T. Strand to 30 months’ imprisonment and a $1,000 fine. He must also serve a one-year term of supervised release after the prison term, with no parole existing in the federal system.
Evidence in the case revealed that between May 2024 and March 2025, Hoppe diverted fentanyl and dilaudid allegedly for patient use. Instead, he used the controlled substances personally and failed to complete or falsified the related health care paperwork. During this time, Hoppe was an Iowa licensed registered nurse, and inputted false orders for narcotics claiming to have permission from a licensed physician, when he did not.
The case was investigated by the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals Investigations Division Medicaid Fraud Control Unit and was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ron Timmons. Hoppe was previously released on bond and is to surrender to the Bureau of Prisons on a date yet to be set.
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Registration open for annual Le Mars United Way Golf Fundraiser
Registration is open for the Le Mars United Way’s annual Golf Fundraiser, to be held at the Willow Creek Golf Course in Le Mars in September.
Funds raised through the event will help support United Way’s two focus areas, by providing support for safety net services and by helping to ensure that children grow into successful adults. Registration for a team of four is set at $360, which includes green fees, lunch, and a cart, with $10 off per golfer for teams registering prior to July 31st.
Those interested can register online at unitedwaysiouxland.com; for questions about the fundraiser, call 712-255-3551. The annual Le Mars United Way Golf Fundraiser will take place on Thursday, September 3rd starting at 11am at the Willow Creek Golf Course.
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RAGBRAI preparation underway in Onawa
Preparations are continuing in Onawa to welcome thousands of bike riders this weekend for the start of RAGBRAI — the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa. It’s the 53rd year for the week-long bicycle ride across the state. Brent McCall serves on the Onawa RAGBRAI Executive Committee and says they’re expecting nearly double the amount of visitors to the Monona County town than the last time they were RAGBRAI’s starting point.
And all of those visitors need a place to stay before the bike ride begins early Sunday morning.
McCall says some of the groups of riders plan to arrive as early as Thursday, but most are expected Friday and Saturday. The town will have plenty of activities ready for visitors.
There will be also over a hundred vendors set up, with Saturday wrapping up with a fireworks display. Riders will depart from Onawa starting at 6am with the tradition of dipping their tires in water from the Missouri River.
RAGBRAI will wrap up July 25th in Dubuque with riders dipping their tires in the Mississippi River at the end of their ride.
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