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Zackary Montero, 26, of Chester, was arraigned on theft and drug possession charges. He’s accused of stealing oxycodone from Trinity East, beginning in September 2016.
JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ohio —
Law enforcement in Jefferson County are dealing with a growing problem — healthcare professionals who are addicted to opioids.
“We see more and more of these as people continue to have problems with the opioid epidemic where they work in healthcare facilities, doctor’s offices or hospitals, they develop an addiction, and they steal from their employer,” Jefferson County Prosecutor Jane Hanlin said.
That’s the latest battle in the war on drugs.
Zackary Montero, 26, of Chester, was arraigned on theft and drug possession charges. He’s accused of stealing oxycodone from Trinity East, beginning in September 2016.
He is no longer employed there.
“To the best of our knowledge, we don’t believe it was someone stealing from the employer to sell,” Hanlin said. “Based on the info we have, we believe the individual was stealing from the employer, and then using the medication on his own.”
Montero entered not guilty pleas and was released on his own recognizance.
Elaine Licata, 56, of Weirton, was also indicted for theft. She’s accused of stealing oxycodone from Trinity East, beginning in July 2016.
She will be arraigned at a later date.
“It’s heartbreaking because you worry about whether the patients are getting the right medication, whether the medical records are accurate,” Hanlin said. “And we’ve come to the point now where some of our healthcare providers are also suffering from addiction, and we’re trying to deal with that as well.”
We reached out to trinity for a statement but have not heard back yet.