HARRISBURG – Agents from the Attorney General’s Bureau of Narcotics Investigation have filed criminal charges against an Armstrong County man accused of stealing powerful pain medications from the Westmoreland County hospital where he worked, as well as allegedly diluting hospital medical supplies in an attempt to conceal the theft.
Attorney General Tom Corbett identified the defendant as Frank C. Glomb, 33, Apollo. During the time of the allegedly crimes, Glomb was employed as a registered nurse at Mercy Jeannette Hospital in Jeannette, Westmoreland County.
According to the criminal complaint, Glomb was allegedly diverting morphine, Demerol and other powerful narcotic pain medications from the hospital pharmacy for his own use.
Corbett said that Glomb allegedly cut open boxes of liquid medication, removed some of the drug, replaced the missing liquid with saline solution, glued the boxed back together and then returned the altered medications to the hospital drug supply cabinets. Glomb also allegedly retrieved partially-used syringes from medical waste containers and extracted the remaining drugs for his own use.
Corbett said that hospital officials contacted drug investigators from the Attorney General’s Office in October 2007, based on suspicions that Glomb was involved in the illegal diversion of narcotic pain medications. The report from hospital officials came after Glomb allegedly suffered a seizure while on duty, resulting in the discovery of empty syringes and other drug-related items.
Glomb is charged with three drug-related felony counts related to the illegal acquisition or posession of morphine, hydromorphone and Demerol. He is also charged with one misdemeanor count of recklessly endangering another person.
Glomb was preliminarily arraigned on Tuesday, January 15th, before Jeannette Magisterial District Judge Joseph DeMarchis and released on $25,000 unsecured bail. A preliminary hearing is scheduled for January 24, 2008, at 1:45 p.m.
The case will be prosecuted in Westmoreland County by Westmoreland County District Attorney John Peck’s office.
Corbett thanked Mercy Jeannette Hospital for their cooperation and assistance with this investigation.
