DES MOINES, Iowa – In a shocking case of prescription pill abuse, Josef Andres Blunier, 47, a Nauvoo, Illinois-based pharmacist, has been sentenced for diverting opioids from a healthcare facility where he was employed.
According to public court documents and evidence presented at sentencing, Blunier committed the crime between at least July 2022 and July 2023, when he obtained prescription pills from the Southeast Iowa Regional Medical Center hospital while working as a pharmacist.
Blunier would order the pills, but not report them in the pharmacy’s inventory, misrepresent the destination of inventory, and take out-of-date pills instead of disposing them. In total, Blunier diverted 10,592 Schedule II controlled substances, including oxycodone, hydromorphone, morphine, and hydrocodone.
In 2023, Blunier also obtained part-time employment at another Iowa pharmacy and diverted Schedule II controlled substances by taking them from filled patient prescriptions.
As a result of his actions, Blunier received a three-year term of probation. Additionally, he was ordered to pay $5,311.61 in restitution, a fine of $5,250, and a $200 special assessment.
US Attorney Richard D. Westphal of the Southern District of Iowa made the announcement, stating that the case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration.
The severity of Blunier’s actions cannot be overstated. His actions have put countless lives at risk and undermined the trust in the healthcare system.
The sentencing of Josef Andres Blunier serves as a reminder that prescription pill abuse is a serious issue that requires immediate attention and action.
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Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Drug Trafficking|White Collar Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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