Turning in Her Boss Has Turn Her Life Upside Down

Alisa Tucker wipes away the tears as she looks at photos from a past life with a person she considered a friend.

Alisa Tucker, a 32-year-old mother of three, was working a dream job as a medical technician at a rural medical clinic located in Manlius, Illinois and had hopes to finish her schooling to become a certified nurse practitioner. Tucker worked beside a woman who ran the practice, Sherry DeSalle. DeSalle was a licensed nurse practitioner and had purchased the practice after the last doctor pulled out of the clinic.

"It was the perfect arrangement, I could work during the day and be home in time for the kids to get home from school." Tucker went on to say "Sherry and I worked great together."

The working relationship changed into a friendship, the two women started taking trips to Chicago for shopping and business. They had dinner parties, and holidays together. It was at one of the holiday parties that Tucker noticed that something was wrong.

"Sherry had been sick, but I noticed her popping some medication. Not just once but a number of different times during the party. She started to act a little out of character." explained Tucker.

It was after Tucker confronted DeSalle did DeSalle admit to taking drugs, but had reassured Tucker that she would stop. Tucker found out later DeSalle did not stop. Infact it was worse that she had thought. Tucker walked out of the practice in January 2007. January 17, 2007 the clinic closed it's doors indefinitely according to a note posted on the door by Sherry DeSalle.

DeSalle was indicted a few months later on four counts of possession of an controlled substance, Vicodin.Tucker had turned her in prior to walking out of the clinic to the Illinois Department of Business Regulations. An investigation into the practice allegedly turned up that DeSalle had numerously called in prescriptions for Vicodin under numerous patients names at the various pharmacies in the surrounding area.

"We knew she had a problem, I just wanted to get her help not to hurt her. Now it has gotten out of control." said Tucker.

Life for Tucker changed forever after turning in her former friend. The Tucker family moved from their home in Manlius because of the number of threats she said she received from acquaintances of DeSalle. Both Tucker and her husband left jobs that they held for years, to take on new ones in their new town.
Tucker had to recently leave her job due to stress, and is on medical leave. Tucker had applied for a new job recently only to find out that her past has came back to haunt her.

"I went to the interview, they wanted me to come back to shadow the doctor. I had the job. Two days later I received a letter stating that they are rescinding the offer and will reconsider my application once the case against DeSalle was settled." According to Tucker, the letter went on to say that the company was afraid that if she was called the the stand she would have to state her new job and where she worked. "They didn't want their name dragged in that mess."

Tucker feels that she is being punished for doing the right thing. "I have suffered so much since turning in Sherry. People have said things about me, saying that I turned in Sherry to cover up thefts done by me and my husband. I took a lie detector tests and passed. I was investigated and was never considered a suspect. But people judge me anyway. It's ridiculous."

Sherry DeSalle is to appear in court January 24, 2008 to be tried on her charges. She has lost her license to practice medicine in August, 2006.

Alisa Tucker sees it as a tragedy for all those involved. "We all have been hurt in this. It was to get her help, I never thought people would consider this a big deal. I thought it was going to be something like an intervention."