An East Wenatchee Police Department incident report states two fraudulent vaccination cards were obtained at the East Wenatchee Walgreens.
World photo/Sydnee Gonzalez
EAST WENATCHEE — A pharmacist fired after he allegedly provided false COVID-19 vaccine cards to two firefighters now potentially faces suspension or loss of his license, among other sanctions.
Geoffrey W. Reynolds, formerly a pharmacist at the East Wenatchee Walgreens, “fraudulently documented that he administered the (COVID-19) vaccine” as well as wasted the dose on three occasions for two people, according to a statement of charges issued Aug. 9 by the state Department of Health Pharmacy Quality Assurance Commission.
The commission regulates the practice of pharmacy and issues and certifies licenses. They charged Reynolds with unprofessional conduct.
The commission also accused Reynolds of violating a state law that requires pharmacists to maintain invoices and other records for prescription drugs.
Reynolds could not be reached to comment. An attorney identified as his lawyer on an East Wenatchee Police incident report was not available for comment Wednesday.
The pharmacy commission was supposed to weigh the question of sanctions sometime last week, according to Frank Ameduri, a state Department of Health spokesperson.
Reynolds allegedly provided fraudulent COVID-19 vaccine cards to at least two Douglas County Fire District 2 firefighters in September and October. The two firefighters resigned Oct. 27 following an internal investigation, according to a police report.
The two firefighters have cases opened against them through the state Department of Health as they both possess Emergency Medical Technician Certifications. It is an ongoing investigation, Ameduri said in an email.
To continue working, firefighters, law enforcement and health care workers were required by state mandate to be fully vaccinated by Oct. 18, 2021, or to receive a medical or religious exemption.
East Wenatchee Police probed rumors that 20 or more people had also obtained fraudulent COVID-19 vaccine cards from Reynolds, according to the police report.
A former Douglas County Deputy prosecutor said that “after further investigation of this alleged information ... he found it to be unreliable,” the police report said.
The state Department of Health’s statement of charge does not mention the allegation.
Discuss the news on NABUR, a place to have local conversations The Neighborhood Alliance for Better Understanding and Respect ✔ A site just for our local community ✔ Focused on facts, not misinformation ✔ Free for everyone