A Delaware County pharmacist is accused of distributing drugs out of his pharmacy to addicts in exchange for sex.
Martin Brian, 81, the owner and operator of the now-defunct Murray-Overhill Pharmacy located on State Street in Media, Pennsylvania, is accused of using his access to prescription drugs to get sex.
"He was giving out those drugs to people who did not need them, people who were addicted to them, just so he could get what he wanted from them, which was sexual gratification," said Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer.
Investigation Started After Woman Emerged from the Pharmacy, Tried to Avoid Police
As reported by WPVI-TV, the investigation against Brian began in April when Media Borough police found two unconscious individuals parked in the back of the pharmacy. As the officers were investigating, a woman walked out of the pharmacy and went back inside as soon as she spotted the police.
Police say Brian came out and asked if everything was alright, and when they separately questioned him and the woman, several inconsistencies emerged in their statements. Police then seized the woman's cellphone and an investigation was launched.
"They did an audit of his records and determined there were tons of missing medications," said Stollsteimer. The audit, which analyzed inventory from 2016 to 2021, also revealed that the Murray-Overhill Pharmacy was the largest purchaser of oxycodone, Xanax, and the deadly opioid fentanyl in the zip code.
At Least 2 Women Admitted to Exchanging Sexual Favors for Drugs from Brian
Authorities say as the woman was interviewed by agents from the DEA, she admitted that she had been meeting the defendant weekly to exchange sex acts for money and for controlled substances.
"What's going on with fentanyl is destroying families all across Delaware County as we speak. He was giving out those drugs to people who did not need them," said Stollsteimer.
Further investigation led to a second woman who admitted to investigators that she had been exchanging sexual favors for drugs with Brian multiple times a week and that she could not even count the number of bottles of oxycodone that she had received.
The Murray-Overhill Pharmacy closed down in June. Brian is now being charged with sexual extortion and other related drug offenses. He turned himself in Monday. His bail has been set at $250,000.
