Walgreens Pharmacist Sentenced for Stealing Narcotics

A Walgreens pharmacist in Rutland, Vermont, was convicted on 2 misdemeanor charges of unlawful possession of narcotics, according to the Vermont Attorney General’s Office.

Brandon Cigana, 33, admitted to pilfering hydrocodone pills while working at the pharmacy. He now faces 1 to 2 years in jail and will see 2 years of probation. In addition, he will perform 80 hours of community service and attend substance abuse counseling. The Vermont Board of Pharmacy will also impose licensing conditions on Cigana.

According to The Burlington Free Press, Cigana was working at Walgreens Pharmacy in 2013 when his manager noticed that pills were missing after consulting an internal loss-prevention report. A further investigation uncovered that Cigana was making inventory adjustments on the pharmacy computer and also pinpointed him after pills went missing on a day when he was the only pharmacist on duty.

When a Walgreens representative contacted Cigana, the pharmacist confessed to taking medications, according to The Burlington Free Press.

The Medicaid Fraud and Residential Abuse Unit, which is part of the Vermont Attorney General’s Office, investigated and prosecuted Cigana’s case.