Feds take over investigation of fentanyl theft at Swedish Medical Center

Federal investigators have taken over the criminal inquiry into the theft of fentanyl from Swedish Medical Center, allegedly by a surgical technologist.

Rocky Allen, a 28-year-old operating room employee, was dismissed in January after a fellow worker reported seeing him take a syringe of fentanyl at the start of a surgery.

That led hospital officials to ask about 2,900 patients last week to get tested for HIV, hepatitis B and hepatitis C.

The Englewood Police Department also began a criminal investigation of the alleged theft.

Late Thursday, the Englewood department said Allen has become the subject of a federal investigation.

“We got some information that was turned over to the Food and Drug Administration. Our investigation is closed,” said David Jessen, a master patrol officer speaking for the department.

He did not specify what the department found and referred other questions to Swedish, which offered no immediate comment.

Allen worked in operating rooms at the hospital from Aug. 17 to Jan. 22. The hospital offered free blood tests to anyone who had surgery there at that time.

The hospital emphasized it had no evidence Allen contaminated patients during surgery.

According to the state Division of Professions and Occupations, Allen’s registration as a surgical technologist was suspended Jan. 29.

The suspension order noted that Allen “submitted to a urinalysis which was positive for fentanyl and marijuana.”

Fentanyl is a potent narcotic pain medicine used by anesthesiologists.