A Hamilton County jailer's decision to wear scrubs and pose as a physician to steal narcotics from Chattanooga's three major hospitals was "clearly the action of someone who is battling addiction," the man's attorney said Tuesday.
Ryan Epperson, 26, was arrested last week after a security guard at Erlanger found him in a surgical unit wearing scrubs, with vials of the painkiller Demerol in his pocket.
Ryan EppersonChattanooga police say Epperson later admitted to bypassing security at Erlanger, Parkridge Medical Center and CHI Memorial hospitals over a period of weeks to steal painkillers like Demerol and fentanyl, forcing open medication dispensaries. Detectives found "large quantities" of narcotics at his home and in his car.
Epperson, who has been a correctional officer with the Hamilton County Jail since 2009 and ran for Hamilton County's register of deeds post, was charged with six counts of possessing drugs for resale, two counts of vandalism, two counts of theft and one count each of criminal trespassing and impersonating a licensed professional.
He was scheduled to have his preliminary hearing before Hamilton County General Sessions Judge Christine Sell on Tuesday. Sell moved the hearing to June 16.
Epperson's attorney Bill Speek said Epperson's family is trying to get him help for his addiction while he remains incarcerated at Silverdale Correctional Facility. The family is "heartbroken and stunned," he said.
So far, Speek said, no one else has been implicated in the theft case, though pharmacy experts have said that Epperson would likely need familiarity with the hospitals and their medication machines in order to successfully break into them.
Speek also said that he would fight the charges that Epperson was possessing drugs for resale.
"I don't think there will be any evidence whatsoever that he was dealing narcotics, and that is something we'll have to address at the next hearing," Speek said.
Contact staff writer Kate Belz at kbelz@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6673.