Merck Scientist Arrested And Jailed On Drug Charges

sekio

sekio

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Kurt Romondt, a chemical engineer who works for pharmaceutical firm Merck & Co., has been arrested and charged with making γ-hydroxybutyric acid, a party drug known as GHB, in his New Jersey home.

According to the prosecutor’s office for Union County, N.J., Romondt, 44, was arrested and jailed on June 18, after he received a delivery of γ-butyrolactone, an industrial solvent used to synthesize GHB. A search of his home turned up 300 mL of the drug and 2,745 g of its precursor along with a scale and materials to process the drug.

http://cen.acs.org/articles/93/i26/Merck-Scientist-Arrested-Jailed-Drug.html


shitty deal... just goes to show you need to be careful ordering stuff these days
 
I am more impressed by the sekio sighting in DitM.

A senior biochemist at Merck, one of the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, was arrested on Thursday for synthesizing the drug GHB, with intent to distribute.Kurt Romondt, 44, was arrested at his home in Springfield, New Jersey. The police discovered nearly 3,000 grams of gamma-butyrolactone, a chemical used to make GHB, as well as 300 milliliters of the drug itself.

They also found a scale and other tools for synthesis, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office told BuzzFeed News by email. Romondt received the chemicals through the U.S. Postal Service, the prosecutor said.

GHB, an odorless and tasteless sedative, is best known as a date-rape drug, though it’s also becoming popular for recreational use.

Because it is a precursor to GHB, gamma-butyrolactone is a “Schedule 1” drug, the strictest regulatory category, meaning it has high potential for abuse and no legitimate medical use.
Romondt reportedly worked at Merck’s facility in Kenilworth, New Jersey, and has worked at the company for 19 years, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Merck has placed Romondt on leave, pending the results of the investigation, company spokesperson Lainie Keller told BuzzFeed News by email. “We are cooperating fully with law enforcement on this matter,” Keller said.
Romondt’s bail was set at $200,000. He faces up to 35 years in prison.
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Image from article..
NSFW:
qhT64Mi.jpg

http://www.buzzfeed.com/catferguson/this-big-pharma-scientist-was-arrested-for-making-a-date-rap
 
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He should have known better than to order GBL.
He does now, anyway.
But "he faces up to 35 years in prison," that is fucked up!!
 
Dude worked for Merck but he didn't know about listed precursors? Or he was so GHB addicted he just didn't care about the consequences? Really sad either way.
 
Funny that the pharmaceutical preparation is S. III and clandestine-produced GHB is S. I...don't think they gave him the benefit of the doubt!
 
Hah! True.. Xyrem is cIII

I thought the same thing, why order such a watched chemical? Surely there has to be a way toake it. I mean if anyone could im sure this dude could.chem engineer for Merck for 19 years? Yea I'm go a say he was good at his job, or maybe he thought since he had the credentials it wouldn't raise eyebrows...

I like how it says ghb is best known as a date rape drug that is becoming popular recreationally. Isn't it the other way around?
 
GHB, an odorless and tasteless sedative.
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The writer has obviously never taken GHB - it tastes like salty petrol and just 1ml or 2 in a can of soft drink has a very distinctive taste.
 
GHB is very rarely used as a date-rape drug, so I wish the media would stop calling it that.

Poor guy should have known better.
 
S.J.B. said:
GHB is very rarely used as a date-rape drug, so I wish the media would stop calling it that.

Poor guy should have known better.
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That will never happen, without clickbait the majority of media outlets would cease to exist.
 
Damn that good job all down the drain.. I would love to have a job like he did, but he shouldn't get fired.
 
I just don't understand why such an intelligent person would order GBL to their own lab. Was he high on GHB when he made that decision? Also, fucking love the pics of the guy. It's sad to think that they will probably send him away for so many years. 30 years seems so beyond excessive.
 
Sigmond said:
Among users but not in the media.
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Haha I know, was being sarcastic lol, booze is BY FAR the undisputed date rape drug. I've always liked g in low doses, wish I could go back to gnc and buy it legally.

It is sad tho, this dude spent his whole career in a prestigious position with tons of schooling, and this one stupid bust is going g to ruin his life. Ghb has the datwrape scare factor bs so that will probably make it worse for him. For this guy its like so.eone buying a beer making kit, it just so happens that depressant is a CI drug...weird that xyrem is CIII....like if you get caught with meth I'm pretty sure its a cds CII charge...could be wrong. He doesn't deserve to go to jail for this but of course he will for some time.
 
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[quote='medicine cab]was being sarcastic[/quote]
Cool, I was going to elaborate but I would have had to use the term "date ___". which I didn't want in my post.

I suppose this guy must have had addiction issues, or perhaps was in some serious financial trouble. It shocks me when anyone orders stuff like this via delivery service.

 
It happens in all walks of life -

Sydney criminal lawyer Ugo Parente 'should be given bail' over drugs charges, lawyer says

A Sydney criminal barrister accused of drug supply offences will remain behind bars until at least next week, when his lawyer says he is expected to apply for bail.

Ugo Parente, 33, was arrested on Friday after police stopped him for a random breath test at Eastlakes, in Sydney's south, and searched his car.

Officers allegedly found what they believe to be methamphetamine, the drug GHB and $3,000 cash.

Parente has been charged with several counts of supplying a prohibited drug, possessing a prohibited drug and possessing goods suspected of being stolen.

His lawyer John Korn told the Central Local Court his client intended to apply for bail next week.

"Bail is always problematic under the new laws but he is a person who should be given bail," Mr Korn said outside court.

"He's not a flight risk. He's born in Australia.

"He's lived here his whole life and these are not proven charges, they are just allegations."

Mr Korn sais his client was distressed when he saw him yesterday in custody.

"Because of the nature of his work I was told this morning that he's been kept in complete isolation away from the general population for his own safety," he said.

He is yet to discuss with his client if he intends to defend the charges, but said he would be "amazed" if he did not.
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http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-06-...-lawyer-on-drugs-charges-bail-hearing/6580950
 
Bluuberry said:
I just don't understand why such an intelligent person would order GBL to their own lab. Was he high on GHB when he made that decision? Also, fucking love the pics of the guy.
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Yeah, it's baffling that intelligent people occasionally do absurdly dumb things. Supposedly that silk road guy ordered murders over an IRC/IM chat with some random guy he never met in real life who just happened to be a DEA agent. Considering the baggage that comes along with GHB it was difficult not to laugh at the photo...talk about suggestive.
 
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