New Mexico attorney general charges woman for allegedly impersonating nurse, ‘nearly caused patient death’

LAS CRUCES, N.M. (KVIA) -- A Doña Ana County jury indicted a woman for allegedly working as a nurse without a license. The New Mexico Justice Department said Margarita Gonzalez' alleged actions include administering narcotics to minors and nearly causing patient death.

Gonzalez allegedly impersonated nurses in Texas to get a job in four Las Cruces nursing facilities, NMDOJ said.

New Mexico Attorney General Raúl Torrez charged Gonzalez with 34 counts of misconduct. The charges include identity theft, nursing without a license, resident abuse, distributing controlled substances to a minor, fraud and more, NMDOJ said. It added, the fraud totaled more than $25,000.

If she's convicted on all counts, she could face up to 100 years in prison.

According to a NMDOJ investigation, Gonzalez illegally administered injections and prescribed medicine, including narcotics to eight children.

The investigation revealed she also incorrectly dosed a patient with insulin, which could have caused a serious incident or death, NMDOJ said. Another nurse caught the mistake before she administered the dose.

Several facilities fired Gonzalez over patient safety worries after she displayed "a questionable method" and "lack of knowledge" during patient care, NMDOJ said.

NMDOJ said Gonzalez worked at the following places, which all paid compensation based on the fraudulent licenses:

• Village at Northrise
• Las Cruces Wellness and Rehabilitation
• Peak Behavioral Health
• Matrix Home Care

The Medicaid Fraud and Elder Abuse Bureau of NMDOJ helped with the investigation.

In October 2025, the Texas Board of Nursing issued an imposter alert accusing Gonzalez of posing as a nurse.