Former Roanoke pharmacist sentenced to one year in federal prison for drug tampering

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A former pharmacist at Home Choice Partners in Roanoke was sentenced on Thursday at the U.S. District Court for tampering with a consumer product — more specifically, hydromorphone — which affected interstate commerce.

According to a statement released by the Department of Justice on Friday, Jan. 29, 35-year-old Bryan Wade Lewis of Roanoke was sentenced to 12 months and one day in federal prison after pleading guilty in September 2020 to one count of tampering with a consumer product.

“Tampering with powerful narcotics can harm patients and will not be tolerated,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Daniel P. Bubar. “We appreciate the good work on this case by FDA, DEA, DHP, and VSP that brought Lewis to justice and demonstrates our commitment to ensure the public receives safe and unadulterated medication.”

According to court documents, an employee at Home Choice Partners discovered a needle, alcohol pad, and a bloody tissue in the toilet of an employee bathroom and reported it to another employee in January 2018, but when Lewis was asked by the employee if he knew anything about the items, Lewis said the items may have fallen out of his pocket. Officials say the employee reached out to human resources, after which a decision was made to conduct drug tests for all employees.

Even though Lewis was scheduled to be off work on the day of the drug test, he was reportedly told to come to work for a drug screening. However, the department says Lewis contacted an employee and explained he was the one responsible for the items in the toilet, saying that he had been engaging in such conduct for nine months.

In addition, officials say Lewis revealed he replaced the contents of a 50 ml vial of hydromorphone in the back of the narcotics cabinet with saline.

“Those who knowingly tamper with and steal medicines risk harming patients by depriving them of their prescribed therapies,” said Special Agent in Charge Mark S. McCormack, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations Metro Washington Field Office. “We will continue to protect the public health and bring to justice healthcare professionals and others who take advantage of their position and compromise patients’ health and comfort by tampering with needed drugs.”

According to authorities, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations, the Drug Enforcement Administration Diversion Control Division, the Virginia Department of Health Professions, and the Virginia State Police conducted the investigation into the case, which was prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Randy Ramseyer.