special agent chad brown - naddi

Special Agent Chad Brown

Virginia State Police

Drug Diversion Unit

Wytheville, Virginia

In February 2018, I assisted Wytheville Town Police with a diversion investigation involving fentanyl.

Andrea Crigger was working as a Registered Nurse at the hospital located in Wytheville.

The charges were based on incidents that were recorded by surveillance video on February 19, 2018 and February 20, 2018.

As I began gathering information for the investigation, the hospital staff told me that complaints had been made accusing Andrea of possible drug usage dating back to September 2017. There were multiple complaints, but nothing could be proven at the time.

These suspicions were not reported to law enforcement.

Due to continuous complaints, surveillance video was placed in locations that Andrea regularly worked.

After the initial investigation was completed by the Town Police, the Wythe County Commonwealth Attorney's Office requested that I look into the issues surrounding the diversion of drugs historically.

42 years old

Married with 2 kids

Former First Assist RN ($80,000+ annual salary)

Former Part-Time Professor at New River Valley Community College.

Bodybuilder

Competes in Beauty Pageants

Facility / Entity Name Dates of Employment Reason For Leaving

Wythe CountyCommunity Hospital

July 2015 to February 2018

Terminated

New River Valley Community College (Adjunct Instructor)

August 2017 to February 2018

Terminated after being criminally charged.

Bluefield Regional Medical Center

May 2013 to June 2015 Resigned

Carilion New River Valley

June 2001 to May 2013 Resigned

Search Warrant

1. Medication Administration Report Summary

2. AcuDose Records

3. Copy of Interviews conducted internally

4. Surveillance video footage

5. Nursing Assessment notes for patients related to investigation

Clip # 1

Clip # 6

Amount dispensed to patients (per

records), 1175

Unaccounted fentanyl, 875

*8 mg of Morphine also unaccounted for

2050 mcg dispensed to Andrea Crigger for patient use(11 known discrepancies over a six month period)

Following patients to Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), when she wasn’t needed

Started going to the bathroom so often that it became weird

Behavior change after the bathroom break

Often volunteered for extra shifts

Showed up at the facility on her day off

Crigger was giving Fentanyl to patients that had caesarean sections even though they were given spinal epidural

Doctor stated that it was interesting that Crigger always wanted a Fentanyl order for patients instead of Dilaudid

Aggressive attitude

Known as a bully

Crigger had already obtained 2 Attorneys for the initial charges

Charged with 11 additional felonies for Obtaining by Fraud

Crigger’s Voluntary Statements

1. Stole medication due to severe headaches

2. Stress due to being a wife, mother, and bodybuilder

3. Needed medication in order to work the extra hours that were required

Pled guilty to 15 felonies

Qualified for 1st offender status

Driver’s license suspended for 6 months

$6050 fine

1 year of probation

HPMP program

Board of Nursing suspended license as well

February 2019, the CVS District Asset Protection Leader contacted VSP in reference to a diversion that had occurred at the Galax Store

The diversion incidents began May of 2018 and ended October of 2018

Missing approximately 1,895 Zolpidem and 79 Alprazolam

I requested and received all documents from CVS that were relevant to the investigation along with surveillance footage.

Video footage showed a female putting something into her mouth while stocking shelves in the pharmacy area.

Balance on Hand Modification Report (BOH)

Shows a rolling (6) weeks of inventory

Pharmacist A, conducted her report weekly which followed protocol.

Pharmacist B (Head Pharmacist), stated that he was put into the position with no training.

Had no clue about the BOH report

Was aware that the report was received weekly

Didn’t know how to handle discrepancies

Simply didn’t understand the logistics of the report

End of September 2018, Head Pharmacist was relocated

New Pharmacist arrived at store in October

Less than 2 weeks, the diversion came to the surface by utilizing the BOH Reports

4% 11% 3%

62%

20%

Types of drugs diverted

Alprazolam (.25 mg)

Zolpidem (12.5 mg)

Zolpidem (6.25 mg)

Zolpidem (10 mg)

Zolpidem (5 mg)

Total number of pills stolen: 1,974 Total Loss: $9,250.82

29 year old female

Shift supervisor for 7 ½ years

Hard worker

Official job duties consisted of working in the store area NOT in the pharmacy handling drugs

Always willing to help in the pharmacy

Immediately confessed and requested assistance for addiction

Prescribed Ambien by a doctor

Quickly became addicted

Stole medication every opportunity

Never stole medication for anyone else

Only diverted to support the addiction

2 counts of Obtaining Prescriptions by Fraud

Pled guilty on October 16th

Qualified for first offender status

$9250.82 restitution

Chad BrownVSP Diversion Unit

chad.brown@vsp.virginia.gov(276) 613-3585