Unlicensed Flint woman charged for pretending to be nurse in Oakland County

OAKLAND COUNTY, Mich. (FOX 2) - A 52-year-old woman is facing charges for practicing as a registered nurse without a license and identity theft, Michigan General Attorney Dana Nessel announced on Tuesday. 

Cassandra Alvera Gilleylen of Flint used the name Cassandra Alvera Bowens while posing as a nurse. She was arraigned on "30 counts of the unauthorized practice of a health profession, a 4-year felony, and three counts of identity theft, a 5-year felony," according to the attorney general's office.

A complaint alleged that Gilleylen was pretending to be a registered nurse at three different Oakland County nursing facilities when she was not licensed. 

The complaint caused police to investigate.

"The investigation established that Gilleylen worked under the name of Cassandra Alvera Bowens as an RN at Mission Point of Clarkston, Mission Point of Holly, and Wellbridge of Clarkston from September 24, 2023, through March 5, 2024," Nessel stated in the release.

Gilleylen is accused of not possessing the necessary licensing requirements or educational background to work as a nurse at any of the three facilities.

"Licenses to practice as a health care professional exist primarily to protect people from harm," Nessel said. "Schemes to avoid licensing requirements are dangerous, and my department takes them very seriously."

Gilleylen's bond was set at $75,000.00. Her probable cause hearing is scheduled for June 4; her preliminary examination is scheduled for June 11.

"This is a huge ethical violation, and it really affects professional standards," said Karl Minges, a public health expert with the University of New Haven. "Nurses are held to these high standards. Impersonating them truly undermines these principles."