Victor Van Cleave, Tampering with Consumer Products, Iowa 2018
A former Des Moines pharmacy technician, Victor Van Cleave, has been sentenced to 30 months in prison for illegally tampering with fentanyl, a highly addictive and potent opioid.
According to the plea agreement entered on February 26, 2018, Van Cleave, age 30, was employed as a pharmacy technician at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines from September 7, 2016, to October 2, 2016. During that time, he had access to fentanyl, a Schedule II controlled substance, which was stored at the hospital for administration to hospital patients.
Van Cleave tampered with the hospital's fentanyl and fentanyl vials during the course of his employment. Specifically, he inserted a syringe into multiple fentanyl vials, removed the fentanyl with that syringe, and injected the fentanyl into himself. Using a different syringe, Van Cleave then replaced the fentanyl he had removed from the vials with a different fluid. Van Cleave then placed the tampered vials back into storage at the hospital.
This investigation was conducted by the United States Drug Enforcement Administration and the United States Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations. The case was prosecuted by the United States Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Iowa.
Van Cleave was sentenced by United States District Court Chief Judge John A. Jarvey to 30 months in prison for tampering with consumer products, announced United States Attorney Marc Krickbaum. He was ordered to serve three years of supervised release to follow his prison term.
The sentence was handed down on July 10, 2018. Van Cleave's actions put the lives of hospital patients at risk, and his sentence serves as a reminder of the consequences of tampering with controlled substances.
Defendant: Victor Van Cleave
Criminal Charges: Tampering with Consumer Products
City and State: Des Moines, Iowa
Exact Date: February 26, 2018 (plea agreement), July 10, 2018 (sentencing)
Sentence: 30 months in prison, three years of supervised release
Key Facts
- State: Iowa
- Category: Drug Trafficking
- Source: DOJ Press Release â†â€â€
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