(Harrisburg) -- The Cumberland County coroner is facing criminal charges. 51-year-old Todd Eckenrode of Carlisle has been charged with one count of unlawful possession of a controlled substance. The misdemeanor is punishable by up to a year in prison and a $5,000 fine.
State Attorney General Linda Kelly says Eckenrode allegedly diverted prescription medication that had been seized as the result of death investigations by the Coroner's Office. Instead of following procedure and destroying the drugs, he's accused of keeping some of the pills for his own use. Kelly says a search of the Cumberland County Coroner’s Office, conducted on March 18th, 2011, led to the seizure of two prescription pill bottles from Eckenrode’s desk, including prescription medication related to a 2010 death investigation which should have been destroyed. The drugs in question are allegedly hydrocodone or oxycodone.
Eckenrode has been arraigned and released on $50,000 unsecured bail. He's slated to be arraigned on March 15th. His lawyer tells the Associated Press Eckenrode made an error of judgment and that he plans to plead guilty and resign his office.
