A 25-year-old woman is in custody after authorities said she sold stolen prescription medication from her employer.
Kroger pharmacy employee Keawna Lucas was arrested and charged Wednesday with obtaining a controlled substance by theft and sale of a controlled substance. She is being held at the Chatham County jail.
The Chatham-Savannah Counter Narcotics Team Pharmaceutical Diversions Unit began investigating a possible theft of prescription pills earlier this month following a complaint from a Kroger pharmacy. The pharmacy told agents they noticed a discrepancy concerning their Alprazolam count and immediately notified CNT.
CNT agents, along with Kroger’s loss prevention team, Georgia Drugs and Narcotics Agency and the federal Drug Enforcement Administration, launched a criminal investigation and identified Lucas as their primary suspect.
Investigators determined Lucas had stolen more than 4,000 Alprazolam pills since last spring and had been selling them for a total profit of $12,300. Alprazolam is used to treat anxiety disorders, panic disorders and anxiety caused by depression.
As required by law, pharmacies have regular counts of prescription medication, authorities said. When theft is suspected, law enforcement is immediately contacted.
- Compiled by Marcus E. Howard