June 3, 2016 at 4:11 p.m.
Two accused of stealing drugs, other items from terminally ill man
Two accused of stealing drugs, other items from terminally ill man
Ryan J. Singer, 29, and Megan J. Birginal, 28, made their initial appearances before Branch I Judge Patrick O'Melia June 1. Singer is charged with two counts of theft of movable property (special facts), possession of narcotic drugs and intentionally subjecting an individual at risk to abuse, not causing bodily injury. The special facts in the theft charges are enhancers because the items allegedly stolen are firearms. Birginal is also charged with possession of narcotic drugs and intentionally subjecting an individual at risk to abuse, not causing bodily injury.
Singer and Birginal were at one point under investigation by two different officers working different aspects of a case involving drugs and property, according to court papers.
The first contact with police came after relatives of the man the duo were being paid to take care of succumbed to a terminal illness. The family members told police several items belonging to the man were missing. They suspected Singer and Birginal had taken the items and pawned them, rather than allow them to go to the man's sole heir, a son he had with Birginal.
A check of pawn records showed the two had pawned two firearms, a trolling motor and some construction tools between April 22 and May 14. According to the police report attached to the criminal complaint, Singer allegedly admitted pawning the items. Since the man's child wasn't 18, he isn't entitled to them yet, he claimed.
When Singer's bank information was checked, the report said that he had been 10 months behind in his car payment before March, when he allegedly made a payment of $3,814.50.
Meanwhile, members of the Northcentral Drug Enforcement Group (NORDEG), and a social worker from Oneida County Department of Social Services also wanted to question the two about missing Oxycodone that had been prescribed to the terminally ill man in their care. A nurse at Ministry St. Mary's Hospice told investigators that 42 30mg tablets of the medication had been given to Birginal on March 29, as she was acting as the man's caregiver. The man entered the hospital early the next morning and could only have taken three of the pills at the rate he was prescribed, the nurse said. The rest of the medication was allegedly missing, according to the report.
When questioned, both Singer and Birginal at first denied taking any of the medication, but later admitted that the man had given them the drugs. Both also admitted to being on Suboxone for treatment of opiate addictions and it was later determined that only Birginal had a legal prescription for that drug.
At their initial appearances, O'Melia set a $1,500 signature bond for Singer and a $2,500 signature bond for Birginal and adjourned the cases until June 27 to allow them time to hire attorneys.
If convicted of the theft charges, Singer faces a maximum sentence of six years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. The possession of narcotic drugs charge they are both facing carries the same maximum fine and three-and-a-half years in prison. The last charge, a misdemeanor, carries up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1,000.
Jamie Taylor may be reached at jtaylor@lakelandtimes .com.
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