A Duke Health nurse has been accused of committing sexual crimes against medical patients while they were “incapacitated,” warrants show, according to Fox 8. Arrest warrants filed by Duke University Campus Police show that 39-year-old Jomil Uy Tugado of Durham, North Carolina, engaged in sexual acts with three people while the victims were “incapacitated.”
The first alleged incident took place in May. The other happened earlier in December, according to his arrest warrants.
New charges were added when a third victim was identified. The incident with the third patient took place on May 23, a week before the May 30 incident that was initially reported in his arrest charges, according to WRAL News.
Who is Jomil Uy Tugado?
The North Carolina Board of Nursing lists Tugado as a state-registered nurse. His license is set to expire in February 2027. When he was arrested, his license was listed as suspended.
Tugado appeared in court on Monday, where authorities confirmed that he was not a US citizen. He has been ordered to be held without bond until his next court appearance in January.
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Tugado began his employment with Duke Health in July 2023, Duke officials confirmed.
Duke Health officials initially said that Tugado was removed from patient care and placed on administrative leave on December 7. The health system said in a statement, per Fox 8, “At Duke Health, our top priority is to maintain a safe environment for all patients to receive care. We have a zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct and take all allegations of inappropriate behavior seriously. Jomil Tugado was removed from patient care and placed on administrative leave on December 7, 2025. We are fully cooperating with law enforcement authorities in their ongoing investigation and remain committed to supporting those who have been impacted. If patients have witnessed or experienced inappropriate conduct at Duke Health, we ask that they call our hotline at 919-385-3575.”
However, the hospital later said that Tugado has been fired. “Jomil Tugado has been terminated and is no longer employed by Duke Health,” Duke Health officials told WRAL News on Monday, December 28.
What are the charges against Jomil Uy Tugado?
Tugado faces three felony counts each of sexual contact/penetration under the pretext of medical treatment and sex acts by a government or private institution employee. He further has three misdemeanor charges of sexual battery.
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Tina Gordon, the CEO of the North Carolina Nurses Association, called the allegations “beyond horrifying,” according to WRAL News.
“Patients should always be able to trust every member of their care team; that’s especially important when they are at their most vulnerable,” Gordon said in a statement to the outlet. “This type of incident is exceedingly rare and we hope most people discern that this is not representative of the rest of the profession. The vast majority of nurses spend their careers building up trust through the care they provide, and it is infuriating for the entire profession to see anyone abuse that trust.”