News (Media Awareness Project) - US FL: Ex-Drug Rehab Leader Charged With Florida Oxycontin |
| Title: | US FL: Ex-Drug Rehab Leader Charged With Florida Oxycontin |
| Published On: | 2002-04-25 |
| Source: | Hartford Courant (CT) |
| Fetched On: | 2008-01-23 11:23:16 |
EX-DRUG REHAB LEADER CHARGED WITH FLORIDA OXYCONTIN THEFTS
PENSACOLA, Fla. -- The former director of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation
center has been charged with stealing the painkiller OxyContin in a series
of pharmacy robberies.
Robert Hornberger, once a homeless alcoholic, was director of Harbor House
Inc., a Christian ministry, until he was fired in August. Harbor House
officials did not immediately respond Thursday to a message seeking a
reason for his firing.
Investigators said Wednesday that his arrest shows the power of OxyContin.
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration says it has been involved in
146 deaths over the past two years and suspected in 318. Those figures are
disputed by OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma of Stamford, Conn.
Hornberger, 45, confessed to three armed robberies and two attempted ones
in the Pensacola area and admitted to another robbery in the Spanish Fort,
Ala., area, after his arrest Tuesday, said Escambia County sheriff's
investigator Mike Watts. Hornberger remained in jail Thursday with bail set
at $25,000.
"I don't think he's your typical bad guy," Watts said. "I think he got
caught up in the addiction of this particular drug."
The deputy said the first thing Hornberger told him was "I'm ready to get
this thing over with. I want to be healed. I have to be off this stuff."
Hornberger had a gun but kept it tucked in his pants when a motorist
stopped him and held him for police after a failed robbery attempt, Watts said.
He said Hornberger told him a family physician in Louisiana had been
prescribing OxyContin for him over the past two years but stopped four or
five months ago.
His case has been assigned to the public defender's office and lawyers
there are not allowed to comment prior to arraignment.
Hornberger's arrest still left unsolved pharmacy robberies in Escambia and
neighboring Santa Rosa County.
In March, Dr. James Graves was convicted in Santa Rosa of manslaughter in
the deaths of four patients, illegal delivery of a controlled substance and
racketeering for improperly prescribing OxyContin and other drugs. Graves
was sentenced to nearly 63 years in prison.
Some abusers who had obtained drugs through Graves or his patients are
looking elsewhere, Watts said. One of the witnesses in his trial was
convicted of robbing a bank to get money to buy OxyContin.
PENSACOLA, Fla. -- The former director of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation
center has been charged with stealing the painkiller OxyContin in a series
of pharmacy robberies.
Robert Hornberger, once a homeless alcoholic, was director of Harbor House
Inc., a Christian ministry, until he was fired in August. Harbor House
officials did not immediately respond Thursday to a message seeking a
reason for his firing.
Investigators said Wednesday that his arrest shows the power of OxyContin.
The federal Drug Enforcement Administration says it has been involved in
146 deaths over the past two years and suspected in 318. Those figures are
disputed by OxyContin manufacturer Purdue Pharma of Stamford, Conn.
Hornberger, 45, confessed to three armed robberies and two attempted ones
in the Pensacola area and admitted to another robbery in the Spanish Fort,
Ala., area, after his arrest Tuesday, said Escambia County sheriff's
investigator Mike Watts. Hornberger remained in jail Thursday with bail set
at $25,000.
"I don't think he's your typical bad guy," Watts said. "I think he got
caught up in the addiction of this particular drug."
The deputy said the first thing Hornberger told him was "I'm ready to get
this thing over with. I want to be healed. I have to be off this stuff."
Hornberger had a gun but kept it tucked in his pants when a motorist
stopped him and held him for police after a failed robbery attempt, Watts said.
He said Hornberger told him a family physician in Louisiana had been
prescribing OxyContin for him over the past two years but stopped four or
five months ago.
His case has been assigned to the public defender's office and lawyers
there are not allowed to comment prior to arraignment.
Hornberger's arrest still left unsolved pharmacy robberies in Escambia and
neighboring Santa Rosa County.
In March, Dr. James Graves was convicted in Santa Rosa of manslaughter in
the deaths of four patients, illegal delivery of a controlled substance and
racketeering for improperly prescribing OxyContin and other drugs. Graves
was sentenced to nearly 63 years in prison.
Some abusers who had obtained drugs through Graves or his patients are
looking elsewhere, Watts said. One of the witnesses in his trial was
convicted of robbing a bank to get money to buy OxyContin.
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