Tell Us: Will You Shop at Pharmacy That Was Raided?
The Hellertown Pharmacy remains open, in spite of the fact that two of its pharmacists are accused of participating in a multi-million dollar prescription fraud scheme.
Relationships between pharmacists and customers are based upon trust.
Two local druggists, however, are accused of breaching the trust of their clientele.
Last week, Hellertown Pharmacy employees Lena Lasher, 45, and Peter Riccio, 59, were indicted by federal authorities on charges related to an alleged multi-million dollar, international prescription fraud scheme that revolved around the online sale of addictive painkillers.
In March of this year, North Dakota authorities accused them of engaging in a similar operation.
The charges announced last week were made public after the Hellertown Pharmacy--which opened with a highly-publicized celebration nearly two years ago--was raided Nov. 29 by agents for the FBI, DEA and IRS, much to the shock of many Saucon Valley residents.
In spite of the raid and the arrests the pharmacy remains open, although the employees who were working there late last week declined to comment when asked about Lasher and Riccio, according to an Express-Times article.
The same article indicated that a pretrial conference for the two Hellertown pharmacists is scheduled for Dec. 10.
Lasher and Riccio are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, but in light of the charges, some customers may decide to shop for their prescriptions elsewhere.
Tell us in the comments below: In light of the allegations against Lasher and Riccio, do you trust the Hellertown Pharmacy? If you've been a customer, what do you plan to do with your business?
Karen Samuels
8:42 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Thank you for the photo because I had never heard of the pharmacy. I feel sorry for the innocent employees but I won't be in.
Niloofar A.
10:08 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Thanks for the photo
I have not shoped from small, local pharmacy for a long time
but if I get desparate, I think I will shop. These are individuals who broke the law...not the the store...
Vida Frankenfield
10:24 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
No thanks! I never entered that pharmacy and quite frankly was surprised when they opened another pharmacy in Hellertown. This stuff is too close to home for me, I will stay away ! Vida Frankenfield
Steve LaBrake
10:33 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
First off, we do not know the full story here. I am rather disgusted by this question that Patch is putting out here at this point. If perception is reality, I guess that you are saying they are guilty.
Unfortunately, there are a lot of dishonest people out there taking advantage of small businesses. I have been taken advantage of by these "dishonest people in the past, & I know of many other small business owners that have been in the same shoes.
As a small business owner, I recieve emails on a weekly basis, from people wanting to buy items from me. What I've found is that a large percentage of this is fraudulant, & people trying to take advantage of small business owners. It is tough to decline business, I'm sure some are honest people, but having been burned in the past, I would rather not do "on-line" business.
Unfortunately, this could be an honest mistake on their behalf, granted they are working with a "controlled substance", & this would be a huge mistake, lets not assume anything though, until we know all the details.
Mary Anne Looby
10:43 am on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
The owner of the store was arrested along with his parmacist who was complicit in selling drugs. There are no other reported employees at the store. This place was obvioulsy a front for the illegal business being run out of NJ. If you shop there you are just adding to their pockets. I think they should be shut down permanently before the kids of Hellertown find a way to get drugs from them. We do not need an independant business in the area if they are running an illegal opperation.
Beverly Wolf
12:25 pm on Tuesday, December 4, 2012
I never was in the store and don't know if I want to. If there are innocent people working there, I feel sorry for them but who would want to work for someone of this quality. Innocent until proven guilty----unless someone was breaking into the pharmacy when no one was around, I think all the data collected speaks for itself and I see now reason to give people like this my money. Thank you