A nurse, Melissa Knutson, has been sentenced to prison after engaging in a sexual relationship with a patient under her care and later falsely accusing him of sexual assault in the United States.
Knutson was convicted of misconduct in public office and obstructing an officer following the incident, which occurred in 2022 while she was employed with the Monroe County Drug Court.
According to prosecutors, Knutson had been responsible for administering Vivitrol, a medication used in substance abuse treatment, to the patient.
Authorities said Melissa Knutson engaged in repeated sexual encounters with him during the period of professional supervision.
When the relationship came under scrutiny, Knutson initially reported that the patient had sexually assaulted her. She claimed she did not immediately report the alleged assault because she feared retaliation against herself or her family.
However, investigators later uncovered text messages indicating that she had initiated the relationship and had expressed intentions to deny the affair if it was discovered.
Prosecutors said she subsequently admitted to fabricating the assault claim in an effort to avoid disciplinary and legal consequences.
In a statement, District Attorney Kevin Croninger described the case as deeply troubling.
“The harm caused by Ms. Knutson was deep and significant. Not only did she violate the sacred trust between a patient and a nurse, but she compounded that by falsely accusing the patient of sexual assault,” he said, noting that the patient was participating in a drug court programme at the time.
Knutson was sentenced to 18 months in prison, followed by two years of extended supervision.
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