LEWISTON, Idaho — A Lewiston woman has been sentenced to four and half years in prison after authorities say she stole nearly 60,000 pills from the pharmacy where she worked, distributing some to local drug dealers.
U.S. Attorney Bart M. Davis announced Tuesday that Chief U.S. District Judge David C. Nye sentenced Marcella Moore, 44, of Lewiston, Idaho to 54 months in federal prison followed by three years supervised release. Moore was also ordered to pay more than $30,000 in restitution to Owl Pharmacy.
The U.S Attorney's office says Moore was employed as a pharmacy technician at Owl Pharmacy in Lewiston, where she began stealing prescription controlled substances in August 2017.
"Moore stole almost 60,000 pills over the next eleven months until she was arrested," a press release from the U.S. Attorney's office stated. "These pills included over 45,000 pills of hydrocodone, 1,880 pills of oxycodone and 1,600 pills of Lorazepam. Moore then distributed many of the pills to others who then sold them in the area."
DEA Special Agent in Charge Keith Weis said, “Opioid abuse is devastating our communities and we must respond aggressively against those that are profiting from fueling the crisis.”
The pharmacy worked closely with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Drug Division, Drug Enforcement Administration, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Lewiston Police Department and others to catch Moore and stop her criminal conduct.
