A Cheshire nurse has admitted to illegally distributing controlled substances after pleading guilty in federal court. According to an announcement by David X. Sullivan, United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut, Michele Rene Muzyka, 61, entered her plea on January 21 before U.S. District Judge Victor A. Bolden in New Haven.
Court documents and statements reveal that between January 2024 and June 2025, Muzyka, who worked as an Advanced Practice Registered Nurse (APRN), distributed amphetamines and benzodiazepines to individuals without a legitimate medical need. During office visits, she did not perform medical examinations or confirm conditions requiring treatment with these drugs. She charged $200 in cash per visit for prescribing Schedule II and IV controlled substances, including to an undercover agent posing as a Medicaid beneficiary. Although registered as a Medicare and Medicaid provider, Muzyka refused the undercover agent’s Medicaid plan and instead required a cash payment. Medicaid was billed $287.58 for prescriptions written for the undercover agent.
Muzyka was arrested on June 23, 2025.
She pleaded guilty to possession with intent to distribute, distribution of, and dispensing controlled substances—an offense that carries a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. She is currently released on a $75,000 bond pending sentencing set for April 30.
The Drug Enforcement Administration and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General led the investigation with help from the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection’s Drug Control Division. Assistant U.S. Attorney Katherine E. Boyles is prosecuting the case.