Nine Still Face Trial in NECC Case

By Walter F. Roche Jr.

Though it has been more than five years since a deadly fungal meningitis sickened 778 patients across the country nine of the 14  charged criminally for their roles in the public health disaster have yet to go to trial.
That number jumped from seven to nine just last week when a federal appeals court reinstated the charges against some of the original 14. The First Circuit Court of Appeals overturned a ruling by U.S. District Judge Richard G. Stearns who had dismissed charges against two former employees of the New England Compounding Center, the company blamed for the outbreak.
In a 19-page decision the three judge panel reinstated the charges against two licensed pharmacists, Kathy S. Chin and Michelle L. Thomas. A third defendant, Alla Stepanets, also had charges against her restored but she was already facing a trial on a related conspiracy charge.
The other defendants awaiting trial held various positions at NECC ranging from Gregory Conigliaro, an officer and part owner, to Gene Svirskiy, a supervisory pharmacist in charge of one of the so-called clean rooms where sterile drugs were prepared.
A trial date has not yet set.
Others awaiting trial are Christopher M. Leary, Joseph Evanosky, Scott Connolly and Sharon Carter. The charges range from racketeering to mail fraud and conspiracy.
Two of the original 14, Carla and Douglas Conigliaro, entered guilty pleas to vastly reduced charges. They were fined and placed on probation with no prison sentences.
Robert Ronzio, an NECC salesman, has entered a guilty plea and is awaiting sentencing.
Two of the original defendants, Barry J. Cadden and Glenn Chin already have been tried and were convicted of some, but not all the charges. Separate juries concluded prosecutors failed to prove 25 counts of second degree murder.
Cadden already is serving a nine year prison sentence. Chin is scheduled for sentencing on Jan. 31.
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