Former Hacienda nurse who raped, impregnated patient sentenced to 10 years in prison

Nathan Sutherland, a former Hacienda HealthCare nurse who raped and impregnated a female patient who was quadriplegic and could not communicate, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Thursday afternoon.

Prosecutors charged Sutherland with sexual assault and vulnerable adult abuse.

Jennifer Liewer, a spokesperson for the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, previously told The Arizona Republic that the sentencing range for the sexual assault charge is between 5.25 and 10 years in prison. The abuse of a vulnerable adult charge brings a lifetime of probation.

"It is hard to imagine a more vulnerable adult than the victim in this case," Judge Margaret LaBianca said Thursday. "Quadriplegic, unable to communicate. In addition, defendant was in a position of utmost trust and control — a nurse. A caregiver. The very person meant to protect the victim. And defendant used — exploited — that position of special trust to sexually assault the most vulnerable victim."

LaBianca said the 1,044 days Sutherland spent in jail will be credited toward the sentence. After he is released, Sutherland will face lifetime supervised probation and will be required to register as a sex offender.

The pregnancy was discovered in December 2018 when an employee at the Hacienda HealthCare facility in Phoenix was changing the garments of the then-29-year-old victim and noticed the patient was in the process of delivering a child. Employees told police that they had no idea the woman was pregnant.

Police have said Sutherland’s DNA matched a sample taken from the woman’s son. The victim’s mother is the boy’s guardian.

The surprise birth triggered reviews by state agencies, highlighted safety concerns for patients who are severely disabled or incapacitated and prompted the resignations of Hacienda’s chief executive and one of the victim’s doctors.

Sutherland's sister and adoptive mother spoke at the sentencing and said he was normally a very kind and caring person, but addiction and failed romantic relationships had landed him in a dark place.

Sutherland gave a lengthy statement during Thursday's sentencing about growing up in Haiti and his biological father placing him and his sister into an orphanage without his biological mother's knowledge.

Sutherland said he was sexually abused at the orphanage and believed that his biological mother didn't care for him or that she thought he was worthless until recently.

Sutherland said that failed relationships saddled with lies and verbal abuse caused him to develop animosity toward women who weren't his adoptive mother or sister. He said he strengthened his connection with God while in jail and learned he had to forgive his biological mother before he could heal.

Sutherland concluded his statement by apologizing to the victim, her family, his own family, his former colleagues and the health care community.

"To the victim — I'm sorry," Sutherland said. "You didn't deserve to be hurt no matter what was going on in my personal life and the demons I was fighting. I had no right to put you through that. No words can express how painfully sorry I am."

Sutherland's attorney asked for the minimum sentence of five years and three months.

A lawyer representing the victim's family said the family didn't wish to give a statement but asked for the maximum 10-year sentence.

LaBianca acknowledged Sutherland's difficult upbringing, his struggle with substance abuse and how extensively he reflected on the consequences of his actions, but said the breach of ethics he displayed as a nurse tasked with caring for and protecting the most vulnerable of patients was too egregious to ignore.

Maricopa County Attorney Allister Adel issued a written statement saying the 10-year sentence was appropriate given the circumstances.

"The sentence imposed was the maximum allowable under the agreement and took into consideration numerous aggravating and mitigating factors, including the vulnerability of the victim and the position of trust held by the defendant," Adel said. "This sentence honors the wishes of the victims in this case."

Perry Petrilli, CEO of Hacienda Healthcare, also issued a written statement shortly after the sentencing, saying the company has cooperated with law enforcement throughout the three-year case.

"As they have been since the moment we learned of Sutherland’s terrible actions, our thoughts and hearts are with the victim, the victim’s family and loved ones," Petrilli said. "We hope this last chapter of the Sutherland case brings them all greater peace."

Reach the reporter Perry Vandell at 602-444-2474 or perry.vandell@gannett.com. Follow him on Twitter @PerryVandell.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Nathan Sutherland sentenced to 10 years in prison