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Jeremiah Harris, 30, is facing multiple felony counts of possession with intent to deliver and other charges related to drug trafficking.
The investigation began on June 30 when Einstein Medical Center on West Germantown Pike notified East Norriton Township police that hospital staff had seized illegal narcotics that day, according to Montgomery County District Attorney Kevin R. Steele and East Norriton Township Police Chief Brandon Pasquale.
Nursing staff had discovered 32 baggies of suspected heroin and fentanyl hidden inside a Pringles potato chip container, which was inside a Wawa bag marked with the patient’s room number, Steele and Pasquale said.
The nurse said that she was "immediately suspicious" because it only contained apple juice and chips, which are readily available for purchase at the hospital, according to a criminal complaint.
She added that the Wawa bag was not sealed like normal food deliveries from Uber Eats, Door Dash, and similar delivery companies.
She also noticed that the chips can felt lighter than a full can should feel and that the silver seal underneath the plastic lid appeared to have been tampered with, the complaint states.
She then shook the container and noticed that there was something else inside besides chips.
Once the suspected drugs were discovered, hospital security personnel and East Norriton Police reviewed video surveillance of the hospital entrance where the Wawa bag was dropped off at 4:43 p.m. that day. The man making the delivery was positively identified as Harris, authorities said.
Investigators then conducted a series of controlled buys of heroin and fentanyl from Harris, which resulted in the seizure of approximately 650 bags of the drugs purchased from Harris, Steele and Pasquale said.
Two days prior to the discovery of the drugs, a patient -- whose name was redacted from court papers -- was found struggling to keep consciousness in a hospital bathroom, according to a criminal complaint. Investigators later learned that the patient had been high on opiates at the time.
Hospital policy says all deliveries to patients who are known drug users must be inspected by nursing staff.
That is what led to the discovery of the drugs supplied by Harris.
Harris was arraigned on Sept. 21 before Magisterial District Judge Harry Nesbitt, who set bail at $100,000 cash for each set of charges.
He was unable to make bail and was remanded to the Montgomery County Correctional Facility.
His preliminary hearings are set for Oct. 4 and Oct. 5.
The case is being prosecuted by Assistant District Attorney Lindsey Mills.
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