Pharmacist arrests disgraceful: N.L. official

A top official at the Newfoundland and Labrador Pharmacy Board says pharmacists are concerned about their reputations now thata third member of their profession is facing criminal charges this month.

St. Johns pharmacist Ann Marie Burke, 54, was arrested at her condominium in St. John'sTuesday morning,and led into court wearing a dressing gown, slippers and chains around her ankles.

Police said that Burke was given the opportunity to change her clothes, but that she declined.

Burke, who is facingcharges related to the possession and trafficking of narcotics,had been expected to appear in court again Wednesday, but could not attend, her lawyer said, because she had been taken to hospital for an unexplained reason.

Pharmacy board registrar Don Rowe said Burke's arrest has made other pharmacists uncomfortable.

"Nobody likes seeing a member of their profession dragged into court in slippers and bathrobe," said Rowe. "To me, that's disgraceful. Disgusting might be another word, or certainly unprofessional, if there's any truth to [the charges]."

Burke's arrest came on the heels of another case involving two pharmacists who worked in another area of St. John's. Lloyd Matthew Bennett, 63,and John Gerald Whalen, 69,arefacing231 charges, including fraud, and bothare scheduled toappear in court later this month.

"Speaking as a pharmacist myself, to get one black eye in a week is difficult, but to get two in one week is disturbing and disappointing," said Rowe.

Rowe said the pharmacy board suspended Burke Tuesday on an unrelated matter. The board had received complaints about Burkes behaviour on the job and questions about her methadone prescribing.

Police display seized items

Meanwhile, police in St. Johns held a news conference Wednesday to display what was seized when they raided Burkes residence Tuesday.

Royal Newfoundland Constabulary officers said they found pills, cash, marijuana and stolen property. Police also showed fake cans of Coca-Cola and shaving cream, used to disguise bottles of pills.

RNC Const. Suzanne FitzGerald said the identified drugs include Ritalin, Percocet, OxyContin and methadone.

"There are a total of 1,247 prescription narcotics 453 of which have not been yet identified," said FitzGerald.

Dozens of clear plastic bags displayed at police headquarters in St. John's heldnumerous items, includinglaptops, a stun gun and bear spray.

She said that part of the investigation is in the hands of the RNC's general investigations unit and could lead to even more charges.

In addition to Burke, police also charged Christopher Robert Hollett, 31, with possession and trafficking in oxycodone, the basis of the powerful painkillers OxyContin and Percocet, as well as a charge of possession of a prohibited weapon. On Wednesday, Hollett was remanded to custody until at least Feb. 8.

Police are now sorting through a wide variety of goods found at Burke's LeMarchant Road condo.

Police said stolen property is commonly found during drug busts, as addicts often trade goods for drugs.

"So those items are now being analyzed to determine exactly where they were stolen from. Those items were personal effects as well as electronics and power tools and there's a large quantity of those," FitzGerald said.