ISSN: 0022-1198
CODEN: JFSCA
Page Count: 5

Determination of Fentanyl in Hair: The Case of the Crooked Criminalist
Mason, AP
Director of Criminalistics, Director of Forensic Toxicology, Supervisor, Forensic Drug Screening, Supervisor, TDM and Clinical Toxicology Division, National Medical Services, Incorporated, PA

Riker, CD
Director of Criminalistics, Director of Forensic Toxicology, Supervisor, Forensic Drug Screening, Supervisor, TDM and Clinical Toxicology Division, National Medical Services, Incorporated, PA

Selavka, CM
Director of Criminalistics, Director of Forensic Toxicology, Supervisor, Forensic Drug Screening, Supervisor, TDM and Clinical Toxicology Division, National Medical Services, Incorporated, PA

Crookham, S
Director of Criminalistics, Director of Forensic Toxicology, Supervisor, Forensic Drug Screening, Supervisor, TDM and Clinical Toxicology Division, National Medical Services, Incorporated, PA

(Received 6 October 1993; accepted 28 November 1994)

Abstract

When a State Crime Laboratory Director found that fentanyl patches were missing from a case submission stored in his evidence vault, he performed an investigation of those members of his staff who had access to the materials. As part of this investigation, two staff members were forced to submit to hair testing for fentanyl and other opiates and opioids. This unusual testing protocol was used to identify a senior Criminalist as a chronic abuser of fentanyl, and led to the rapid resolution of the case. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of the forensic analysis of hair for drugs of abuse in which the technology was used to identify an individual as a chronic fentanyl abuser.

Keywords:
toxicology, fentanyl, forensic hair drug testing, internal investigation

Paper ID: JFS13850J
DOI: 10.1520/JFS13850J
ASTM International is a member of CrossRef.