Police officer sentenced for pharmacy theft

Source:York Region News
January 13, 2010 05:43 PM
Toronto cop addicted to pain killer Oxycontin
JOE FANTAUZZI

A Toronto police officer, who held up a Markham pharmacy, has been handed a suspended sentence.
Justice William Gorewich also ordered Tamara Rodin, 42, of Markham, who was previously convicted of uttering threats and theft not exceeding $5,000, to serve two years probation, a weapons ban, 75 hours of community service and to avoid non-medically prescribed narcotics.

York police charged Rodin after a woman walked into Sunrise Pharmacy, near 16th Avenue and Main Street in Markham, claimed she had a gun and demanded prescription drugs from a pharmacist.

After getting the drugs, she fled.

Rodin was arrested the same day.

Rodin did not have a gun during the hold-up, Justice Gorewich told a Newmarket courtroom yesterday afternoon.

The judge denounced her behaviour, noting that she made efforts to rehabilitate herself.

During the hearing, Rodin sat at the defence table with her lawyer Mitchell Chernovsky. The Crown argued for Rodin to submit a DNA sample but Justice Gorewich rejected it.

Justice Gorewich also granted Rodin a conditional discharge for two charges of uttering forged documents related to phoney prescriptions in 2005.

Rodin was addicted to Oxycontin at that point and had encountered difficulty getting more of the drug, Justice Gorewich told the court.

Her behaviour clearly indicated an addiction, he said.

"Good luck to you," Justice Gorewich told Rodin.

Mr. Chernovsky characterized his client as "somebody who has basically lost everything" and that she has "functionally" lost her career.

As a police officer, Rodin trained other officers in physical fitness and use-of-force, Mr. Chernovsky told the court.

He also mentioned that his client had been shunned after testifying against a fellow officer who was later convicted.