Fentanyl (Credit: FDA)
An employee of a Brick Township healthcare facility has been charged with stealing a large number vials containing painkillers as well as pre-loaded injections of a different painkiller.
Brick Police Ptl. Victoria Finelli said the department’s Street Crimes Unit (SCU), on Jan. 24, received an anonymous tip that a female healthcare worker was stealing narcotics from her place of employment located in the area of Ocean Medical Center on Jack Martin Boulevard.
“Through investigative measures,” Finelli said, the SCU was able to identify the suspect, Lauren Scholz, 37, of Brick, and her place of employment at the Vascular Institute at Atlantic Medical Imaging, located at 495 Jack Martin Boulevard.
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On Jan. 26, the SCU and patrol units went to the healthcare facility and spoke with management, Finelli said. A further investigation confirmed that 100 “flip top vials” containing fentanyl and forty syringes containing Hydromorphone (commonly known as Dilaudid) were missing. The detectives ultimate arrested Scholz and recovered the fentanyl and the hydromorphone.
Scholz was arrested and transported to Brick Police Headquarters. While in custody, Finelli said, Scholz was found to be in possession of one ounce of cocaine and other drug paraphernalia.
“Scholz admitted to the theft of narcotics,” Finelli said.
Scholz was charged with theft, possession of fentanyl, possession of hydromorphone (Dilaudid), possession of cocaine and possession of drug paraphernalia.
Scholz was processed and released on a summons pending a future court appearance. No photographs were available.
