Empty capsules given to children after Iowa pharmacist tampered with drugs, feds say
UPDATE: The former Iowa pharmacist was sentenced to two years in federal prison on Monday, Oct. 31, authorities said.
The original story continues below.
Two children were given prescribed medication with “empty or partially empty” pill capsules after their Iowa pharmacist removed the drugs, federal officials say.
Anthony Pape, of Dubuque, “was convicted of two counts of theft of controlled substances from two different pharmacies and two counts of tampering with a consumer product” after pleading guilty in the Northern District of Iowa, according to a Feb. 23 news release.
As part of his plea, Pape admitted to tampering with Vyvanse capsules, a drug used to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), officials said. In two counts where Pape pleaded guilty, he says he tampered with pills prescribed and dispensed for use by two different children, placing them “in danger of bodily injury” in March 2020, according to court records.
One child received 24 “empty or partially empty” pill capsules that should have contained 10 mg of the substance, officials say, and another child received 13 of the tampered pills that should have contained 20 mg of Vyvanse.
The defense attorneys representing Pape did not immediately respond to a request for comment from McClatchy News.
Pape also pleaded guilty to stealing hundreds of doses of medication from about September 2017 through March 2020 at two different pharmacies where he was employed, according to court records.
The stolen controlled substances included Dextroamphetamine-Amphetamine ER, Vyvanse, Methylphenidate, Adderall XR and Focalin XR, records show. These drugs are often used to treat ADHD.
Pape is free on bond until his sentencing, according to the news release. He faces up to 28 years in prison, a $1 million fine and eight years of supervised release following any time in prison.
This story was originally published February 23, 2022 at 11:15 AM with the headline "Empty capsules given to children after Iowa pharmacist tampered with drugs, feds say."