Man charged with stealing fentanyl from Central DuPage Hospital

An emergency medical services employee has been charged with stealing fentanyl from the west suburban hospital where he worked.

Joshua M. Agruss, 33, was charged with four counts of unauthorized acquisition of a controlled substance, four counts of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, and two counts of burglary, all felonies, according to a statement from the DuPage County state’s attorney’s office.

Agruss, of the 9700 block of Cummings Street in Huntley, worked as the emergency medical services continuing education specialist at Central DuPage Hospital in Winfield, prosecutors said.

Between Dec. 10-28, 2014, he obtained fentanyl from an emergency department nurse to purportedly replace fentanyl administered to a patient by a paramedic, knowing the paramedic did not actually provide the drug to a patient, prosecutors said.

He also obtained 400 micrograms of fentanyl from a nurse to replace fentanyl administered to a patient by a paramedic, knowing that the paramedic actually provided only 200 grams, prosecutors said.

Following an investigation by Winfield police, a $50,000 arrest warrant was issued for Agruss on July 28, according to prosecutors.

On Saturday, Agruss turned himself in and was released after posting 10 percent of the $50,000 bond. He is next scheduled to appear in court Sept. 6.