Norwich Pharmacist Sentenced For Forging Oxy Prescriptions: Feds

NORWICH, CT — A pharmacist has been sentenced to three years in prison for forging prescriptions to acquire thousands of oxycodone and alprazolam tablets from the Norwich pharmacy where he worked, according to a statement from Leonard C Boyle, Acting United States Attorney for the District of Connecticut. Eric Tingley, 45, will also serve three years of supervised release.

According to prosecutors, Tingley, formerly of Lebanon and currently living in Hopkinton, RI, forged approximately 183 prescriptions for oxycodone and approximately 26 prescriptions for alprazolam, and filled the forged prescriptions at the pharmacy where he worked in 2016 and 2017.

Through these forged prescriptions, Tingley illegally obtained more than 35,000 oxycodone tablets and more than 2,000 alprazolam tablets. He then dealt the drugs, according to prosecutors.

After Tingley’s Norwich employer fired him for performance issues, Tingley moved to Las Vegas, began working at a pharmacy there, and stole an additional 6,445 oxycodone pills.

Tingley was arrested in Las Vegas on June 27, 2018.

Tingley pleaded guilty in 2019 to one count of possession with intent to distribute oxycodone and alprazolam.

Tingley, who is released on a $50,000 bond, is required to report to prison Aug. 20.