RANGELEY – An owner of the Rangeley Inn has started a petition drive in support of Rangeley pharmacist, Joey McLafferty, who had his pharmacist license suspended for 30 days by the state on June 14.
McLafferty, 71, is accused of violating state and federal pharmacy rules, including standards of professional behavior. The state launched an investigation after police received information that teens were using and selling prescription drugs stolen from the store. The state set a hearing date July 12 unless McLafferty voluntarily surrenders his license.
There are 10 to 15 petitions circulating, Dominique Goude said Friday, and more than 150 people had signed the petitions as of early Friday afternoon.
The wording on the petition states that the undersigned are “outraged at the fact that Mr. Joey McLafferty has been forced to close his store. Mr. McLafferty has served this community selflessly for many years. The elderly population (17 percent) without transportation is suffering dearly because of this decision,” Goude read. “We believe you are condemning Mr. McLafferty unjustly and unfairly.”
McLafferty was able to get pharmacist John Bartash Jr. of Rumford to come up to Rangeley on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to fill prescriptions at Riddle’s Pharmacy.
Goude said several people have taken copies of the petition out to collect signatures.
“Everybody that I know that comes here are really outraged,” Goude said.
They didn’t think about the people and where they’re going to get their prescriptions filled, Goude said. The nearest pharmacies are 43 miles away in Farmington.
The state was expected to take the prescription medicine out of the store June 15 but left it at the store because a substitute pharmacist was found to help the people get prescriptions filled twice a week.
“Everybody loves Joey,” Goude said. “He’s the nicest man possible. He’s very kind, very caring.”
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