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SCHENECTADY---A Scotia nurse is one of 14 people arrested in a prescription drug sweep, accused of conspiring with others to distribute the narcotic hydrocodone.
Stacy Freitag, 37, a licensed practical nurse at The Vascular Group allegedly conspired with others over a 19-month period ending last November to possess and distribute the narcotic painkiller.
Freitag has also been charged with possessing more than two ounces of hydrocodone at the Schenectady-based The Vascular Group, and of writing illegal prescriptions for the drug in December, 2004. Court records also indicate that she allegedly falsified records Jan. 6 in an attempt to conceal the other crimes.
Eric Koch, 35, who has the same address of Freitag has been charged with fourth degree criminal possession of a controlled substance. Court papers show that he allegedly possessed the drug at Tower Auto Sales in Schenectady in January.
Freitag was reportedly suspended from The Vascular Group the day after she was arrested. She had been employed there as a nurse for about five years.
The arrests were made by the state Department of Health assisted by the Schenectady Police Department following an investigation by DOH.
Freitag was one of two medical professionals arrested of the 14 charged in the sweep.
Joan Killeen, 40, of Amsterdam, a nurse at Ellis Hospital for about seven years, was charged with one count each of first degree falsifying business records and petty larceny.
It is alleged that Killeen made a chart entry indicating she was giving 4 mg of morphine to a patient but instead kept it for herself. No medication had been prescribed. After the hospital discovered the incident and reported it to the Health Department, Killeen was suspended.
Most of the 14 people arrested were charged with altering legitimate prescriptions in order to obtain drugs for themselves. 2-19-06
© 2005 North
Country Gazette
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