JOSEPH E. SEIFERT, 29, of Puyallup, Washington, pleaded guilty today in U.S. District Court in Tacoma to robbing a Walgreen’s pharmacy in Lakewood, Washington. Pharmacy robbery is a felony offense punishable by up to twenty years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Court documents indicate that on February 15, 2008, at approximately 1:00 am, SEIFERT entered the Walgreens Pharmacy located at 9505 Bridgeport Way SW, in Lakewood, Washington, for purposes of robbing the pharmacy. SEIFERT was wearing a disguise to conceal his appearance, to include a lab coat, gloves, a wig, and glasses. SEIFERT approached the pharmacy counter, brandished what appeared to be a handgun, but was an air soft pellet gun, and jumped over the pharmacy counter. SEIFERT demanded he be provided controlled substances containing oxycodone. The pharmacist complied with SEIFERT’s demands and delivered several bottles of pills containing oxycodone to SEIFERT, which were placed in a black canvas bag SEIFERT was carrying. SEIFERT then left the pharmacy.

Police Officers responding to the scene caught SEIFERT as he was leaving the pharmacy. A search of his black bag revealed several hundred pills of oxycodone, a Schedule II controlled substance, which he had taken from the pharmacy.

In addition to pleading guilty, SEIFERT agreed to pay restitution to the pharmacy for the value of the drugs taken.

SEIFERT is scheduled to be sentenced by U.S. District Judge Benjamin H. Settle on August 21, 2008.

This was an Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF) investigation, providing supplemental federal funding to the federal and state agencies involved. The case was investigated by the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), the Lakewood Police Department and the Tacoma Police Department.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Ronald J. Friedman.

For additional information please contact Emily Langlie, Public Affairs Officer for the United States Attorney’s Office, at (206) 553-4110.

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