Sudbury, Ont., pharmacy worker wrote $1.5M in fake fentanyl prescriptions
A former employee at the Rexall Pharmacy located on Bancroft Drive in Sudbury pleaded guilty Monday to writing fake fentanyl prescriptions worth more than $1.5 million.
Lise Blanchette pled guilty to one count of fraud over $5,000 and one count of fentanyl possession for the purpose of trafficking.
Blanchette was in Sudbury court Monday, where she admitted to fabricating fentanyl prescriptions between May 2016 and May 2018.
Through the phony prescriptions, she obtained 3,425 fentanyl patches with an estimated street value of more than $1.5 million.
Prosecutor Peter Keen, who appeared via Zoom from Guelph, said Blanchette impersonated doctors who work in Sudbury and filled out the prescriptions using the names of four members of her family.
Keen said video surveillance shows her entering in and paying for the prescriptions with cash.
At first, Blanchette said she was battling addiction and that she took the patches for herself. But Keen said the amount taken can't be explained by personal use, because someone taking that much would have shown signs of impairment. No one reported Blanchette as being impaired during that time.
He argued the only reasonable explanation is the drugs were acquired for the purpose of trafficking.
Blanchette was charged in December 2019. The case will return to court Wednesday when a sentencing date will be determined.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
RCMP not investigating possible foreign interference cases related to Chiu, Dong: Duheme
Canada's federal police force is not investigating any possible instances of foreign interference in the cases of former Conservative MP Kenny Chiu and Liberal-turned-Independent MP Han Dong, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says.
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
Stormy Daniels took the witness stand Tuesday at Donald Trump's hush money trial, describing for jurors a sexual encounter the porn actor says she had with him in 2006 that resulted in her being paid off to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Air France flight from Paris to Seattle lands in Iqaluit after heat smell in cabin
A plane travelling from Paris to Seattle was forced to make an emergency landing in Iqaluit after there was a heat smell in the cabin during the flight.
CFL suspends Argos QB Chad Kelly at least nine games following investigation
The CFL suspended Toronto Argonauts quarterback Chad Kelly for at least nine regular-season games Tuesday following its investigation into a lawsuit filed by a former strength-and-conditioning coach against both the player and club.
Boy Scouts of America changing name for first time in 114 years, aiming for inclusivity
The Boy Scouts of America is changing its name for the first time in its 114-year history and will become Scouting America. It's a significant shift as the organization emerges from bankruptcy following a flood of sexual abuse claims and seeks to focus on inclusion.
Federal government grants B.C.'s request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces
The federal government is granting British Columbia's request to recriminalize hard drugs in public spaces, nearly two weeks after the province asked to end its pilot project early over concerns of public drug use.
opinion Tom Mulcair: Trudeau's handling of Poilievre's 'wacko' House turfing a clear sign of Liberal desperation
When Speaker Greg Fergus tossed out Pierre Poilievre from the House last week, "those of us who have experience as parliamentarians simply couldn't believe our eyes," writes former NDP leader Tom Mulcair in his column for CTVNews.ca