In this undated photo provided by the Philadelphia Police Department, Gary Dudek, 54, of Wallingford, Pa., is shown. Dudek, a former medical company sales representative was arrested in Monday, May 26, 2014 and charged charged with stealing more than $350,000 worth of human skin over a period of several years.
Image Credit: AP Photo/Philadelphia Police Department
May 30, 2014 - 7:02 PM
PHILADELPHIA - A Pennsylvania man has been charged with stealing more than $350,000 worth of human skin over a period of several years.
Fifty-four-year-old Gary Dudek, of Wallingford, was arrested Monday and charged with theft, receiving stolen property and tampering with records.
Authorities say he worked until September as a sales representative for a Massachusetts-based regenerative medicine firm and had the authority to order skin grafts for Mercy Philadelphia Hospital.
The Philadelphia Daily News reports that authorities allege that Dudek ordered more than 200 grafts without authorization that the hospital never received. Each cost $1,700.
Philadelphia police say they don't know what happened to the grafts.
Defence attorney Eugene Tinari tells WCAU-TV that the case should be handled as a civil matter. He calls the criminal charges "draconian."
News from © The Associated Press, 2014