Oxycodone & Bets: PA Pharmacist Gets 40 Months

PITTSBURGH, PA – A Pittsburgh-area pharmacist traded prescription pads for poker money, and now Charles Brian Griffin, 27, is paying the price. Griffin pleaded guilty to federal narcotics violations and was sentenced to 40 months behind bars, United States Attorney David J. Hickton announced today.

The scheme ran from March 2011 to February 2012, while Griffin worked at a Walgreens store in Washington, Pennsylvania. He wasn’t dispensing medicine to the sick and suffering; he was actively participating in a conspiracy to distribute and possess with intent to distribute oxycodone – a Schedule II controlled substance, and a highly addictive opioid. Griffin had access, and he abused it.

Court records detail how Griffin knowingly filled bogus oxycodone prescriptions supplied by a co-conspirator. These weren’t small favors. The pair diverted more than 8,000 30mg oxycodone pills onto the street. The motive wasn’t altruism; it was cold, hard cash. The co-conspirator allegedly provided Griffin with tens of thousands of dollars, funneled directly into his gambling addiction.

Senior United States District Judge Gustave Diamond handed down the 40-month sentence, followed by three years of supervised release. While the law allowed for a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison and a $1,000,000 fine, the judge opted for a lesser penalty, forgoing a fine altogether. Whether that’s leniency or a reflection of Griffin’s cooperation remains unclear.

Assistant United States Attorney Eric S. Rosen led the prosecution. The investigation, which cracked this prescription fraud ring, was conducted by the Drug Enforcement Administration. This case serves as a stark reminder that even those entrusted with dispensing life-saving medication are capable of succumbing to greed and addiction, and will be held accountable under federal law.

The Grimy Times will continue to follow this case and report on any further developments. We’ll also be digging deeper into the co-conspirator’s role and whether further charges are pending. This isn’t just about one pharmacist; it’s about a broken system and the relentless flow of opioids into our communities.