Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean C. Eldridge, who is handling
the case, stated that the defendant was a resident at the Bath, NY Veterans
Affairs Medical Center. On March 3, 2019, Rogers returned to the facility after
a trip home to Connecticut, when he encountered a VA Police officer. During a
pat-down, 20 small bags were removed by the officer from the defendant’s
pocket, and Rogers told the officer that the bags contained fentanyl. Laboratory
testing confirmed that the substance was fentanyl.
The plea is the result of an investigation by the Department
of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations
Division, Northeast Field Office, under the direction of Special
Agent-in-Charge Sean J. Smith; and the Bath Veterans Affairs Police Department,
under the direction of Chief Joseph Day. Assistance was also provided by the
Steuben County Sheriff’s Office, under the direction of Sheriff James L.
Allard; and the Drug Enforcement Administration, under the direction of Special
Agent-in-Charge Ray Donovan, New York Field Division. Sentencing is scheduled
for November 11, 2019, at 11:00 a.m. before Judge Payson.
