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Hospital worker allegedly sold guns, drugs from facility

Hospital Safety Connection, April 14, 2004

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Bellevue Hospital Center in New York failed to perform a required background check before hiring a man arrested last week on charges he sold cocaine and guns at the hospital, the New York Times reports.

The employee, Samuel Perez, 39, a patient-care technician, has an arrest record dating back to 1983, police said. He was arrested in the past on grand larceny and felony narcotics possession charges, and spent two stints in state prison.

A hospital spokesman said the hospital would review all personnel files and its employee-verification practices.

Bellevue was already under fire because of the rape and assault of a 13-year-old patient in the pediatric ward last week. Police arrested and charged the husband of a psychiatric patient in that attack.

The Health and Hospitals Corporation, which oversees New York's public hospital system, said its employment policy has long required New York state criminal background checks. In 2002, the policy expanded to add nationwide background checks.

Perez allegedly sold at least two automatic weapons and cocaine from Bellevue's second-floor locker room.

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