Pharmacist admits stealing drugs from veterans facility

ERIE, Pa. – The former chief pharmacist at a medical facility for veterans in Pennsylvania has admitted stealing more than 12,000 doses of medication to fuel his own drug addictions.

James Franks pleaded guilty Tuesday to obtaining controlled substances through fraud. The 34-year-old Union City man faces up to four years in prison when he’s sentenced Oct. 15.

Federal prosecutors say there’s no evidence Franks redistributed the drugs he stole, which included opioid painkillers, Xanax and Valium. They say he also altered the manual and electronic prescription drug logs to conceal the thefts, which occurred between July 2016 and July 2017.

Franks had worked at the state-run Pennsylvania Soldiers & Sailors Home. He was fired in August 2017.