Tri-Cities pharmacy tech accused of stealing opioids to use and sell

The Washington state license of a Pasco pharmacy technician has been suspended after she reportedly admitted taking 1,000 opioid tablets from the business.

Elizabeth Marie Quintero has been charged with theft in Pasco Municipal Court, according to the Washington state Department of Health.

Quintero cannot practice in Washington state until the charge by the Department of Health’s Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission is resolved. She has 20 days to respond and request a hearing.

According to the Department of Health, Quintero had been in an automobile accident and said she was taking the oxycodone and hydrocodone pills from the pharmacy she worked for pain from injuries.

State documents alleged that she was using some of the pills and selling some of them.

In January 2022, she began working at a Pasco pharmacy, which was not named in the state charging documents.

In November 2022, a Pasco police officer told the pharmacy he had received an unsubstantiated report that Quintero was diverting medication and selling the pills, according to state documents.

The pharmacy began an investigation, and about a month later its asset protection manager saw Quintero pouring out extra pills from a bottle she was filling and hiding them in her sleeve, according to state documents.

She was fired from the pharmacy then, and the state suspended her pharmacy technician license Friday, March 1.

Pasco Municipal Court documents about the case were not immediately available.