Monday, October 23rd, 2023
EMS worker charged with stealing drugs
From staff reports
CELINA - A 39-year-old Coldwater Emergency Medical Services volunteer was arrested Saturday morning on multiple charges, including eight felony counts of theft of drugs.
Ashlee R. Heinl-Botkin of Coldwater was booked into the Mercer County jail and is being held without bond until further order of the court, according to a news release from Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey.
A grand jury, which was presented the case on Thursday, indicted Heinl-Botkin on 20 counts - eight fourth-degree felony counts of theft of drugs, four fifth-degree felony counts of possession of a fentanyl-related compound, one third-degree felony count of tampering with records, three first-degree misdemeanor counts of theft and four first-degree counts of possession of drugs, according to the release.
The indictment came after a lengthy investigation into missing medication at the Coldwater branch of Mercer County EMS, Grey said in the release.
A routine inventory review conducted at the Coldwater EMS facility found that medication was missing from a secured box, the release states. The county sheriff's office was notified of the missing medication on July 5, and its detectives launched an investigation, which included reporting to the Ohio Board of Pharmacy and the Drug Enforcement Administration, according to the release.
Moreover, the release said county sheriff's office detectives were assisted by an Ohio Board of Nursing investigator.
Once completed, the investigation was forwarded to the county prosecutor's office for review.
