For stealing cancer drugs, UM pharmacy tech gets two years prison, must pay $9 million

A pharmacy technician who looted cancer drugs from the University of Miamis cancer center must serve two years in prison and pay back a staggering $9 million.

Manuel Gerardo Pacheco, 55, pleaded guilty Tuesday, closing an embarrassing chapter that exposed lax security for expensive drugs at UMs Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center.

In all, investigators found that $14 million in prescription drugs had gone missing from the cancer centers pharmacy during Pachecos time there. School leaders blamed a lack of inventory control, and have since said that security has been beefed up to avoid future losses.

The investigation began in May 2011 when a UM pharmacy buyer, not trusting software that tracked the medication, noticed that hundreds of syringes of Neulasta, a drug used to boost white blood cells during cancer treatment, were missing.

UM investigators focused on Pacheco, who had recently bought a $56,000 BMW without securing a car loan.

Later, hidden surveillance twice caught Pacheco removing blue boxes of the drug, slipping them in his lab coast. He confessed after UM security confronted him.

Pacheco later admitting selling them to an associate, Jose Suarez, who has not been charged.

Investigators later found a stash of expensive cancer drugs, including Neulasta, Aloxi and Avastin in all valued at $734,639.18 in a small refrigerator in his bedroom.

As part of his plea deal, Pacheco agreed to the $9 million judgment against him in a suit filed by UM. His attorney, David S. Markus, said he believes the amount Pacheco actually stole is closer to $3 million.

Pacheco pleaded guilty to grand theft, trafficking in controlled prescription drugs and dealing in stolen property.

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For stealing cancer drugs, UM pharmacy tech gets two years prison, must pay $9 million