Hospital pharmacy chief admits stealing 200,000 oxycodone pills

The former pharmacy director at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City recently pled guilty to four counts of criminal possession of a controlled substance.

Anthony D’Alessandro, 48, admitted stealing nearly 200,000 oxycodone pills with an estimated street value of $5.6 million. He was the hospital’s pharmacy director for 14 years. He was fired in April 2014.

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According to the terms of’ the plea deal, D’Alessandro will be sentenced to five years in prison and five years probation. D’Alessandro also forfeited his pharmacy license.

Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Bonnie Wittner is holding D’Alessandro without bail prior to his scheduled sentencing on July 23.

The hospital began an investigation into the alleged thefts after receiving an anonymous letter. The hospital conducted an internal audit, and then referred its findings to prosecutors.

According to a story in the New York Daily News, D’Alessandro sent the pills to the research pharmacy at the hospital.  He then diverted the oxycodone from the research pharmacy. He did this at least 218 times between January 2009 and April 2014. The thefts cost the hospital $212,727.

D’Alessandro originally claimed he took the drugs for personal use, and disputed the quantity of drugs he was accused of stealing.