OxyContin Crime Round-Up for Week July 25
Traffic Stop Leads to Arrest
Oregon State Police arrested Charles Edwards from Tacoma, WA after fined 8,000 OxyContin pills in his vehicle. Edwards, who is 52, was stopped for speeding along Interstate 5. When state troopers searched his vehicle, they found approximately $660,000 worth of OxyContin stashed inside the vehicle. Edwards was charged with unlawful possession, delivery, and manufacturing a controlled substance.
South Hill Albertsons Robbed at Gunpoint
A gunman robbed a pharmacy located inside an Albertsons grocery store in Spokane, WA using a semi-automatic pistol this week. The robber, who was described as a white man in his late twenties or early thirties, stole the pharmacy’s supply of the powerful prescription painkiller OxyContin.
Walgreens Manager
In Tulsa, OK, a Walgreens manager was rushed to a hospital after experiencing heart attack symptoms during an armed robbery. Three men wearing red bandanas to hide their faces stole Xanax, OxyContin, and an undisclosed sum of money. They forced the manager to open the store safe at gunpoint and then made off in a car parked nearby.
Powered Methadone Believed to Cause Fatal Overdose of Teenager
A 16-year-old boy from London, Ontario apparently died from an experimental overdose of powered methadone at a house party. Believed to be a the newest street drug hitting Canada, authorities fear more teens will try getting high by snorting the dangerous powder. Methadone is used by heroin and OxyContin addicts to help with withdrawal symptoms during detox or as part of a long-term medication-assisted recovery program. Unfortunately, many people erroneously believe methadone is less dangerous than other drugs and many teenagers aren’t even aware of what they’re snorting.
Powered methadone is a tightly controlled substance that requires pharmacists to account for every single microgram. Patients never receive the powered form – pharmacists mix it and dispense it in liquid form. Methadone clinics also provide it in the liquid form and it can’t be boiled down into powder. Additionally, most methadone users must drink the liquid at the pharmacy or the clinic that administers it. Experts say the only way to get powdered methadone is to steal it.
Indiana Man Caught on Camera Demanding OxyContin
A security camera at a CVS Pharmacy in Indianapolis caught a man last week, as he demanded the prescription drugs OxyContin and methadone. Police say the stolen drugs are worth thousands of dollars on the street. The robber, who was wearing a white t-shirt, a baseball cap and sunglasses, was described as clean cut and polite as he conducted the robbery with a note. While he never showed a gun, victims said he repeatedly threatened them and police consider him a dangerous suspect.
20-Year-Old Man Arrested for Stealing OxyContin in Alden
Brandon Walker, from Lancaster, NY, allegedly stole OxyContin from a Rite Aid pharmacy and fled on foot. Walker gave the pharmacy employees a note demanding the prescription painkiller, but never displayed any kind of weapon.