Warrants: Ultrasound technician stole from local hospitals

Raleigh, N.C. — A former Rex Hospital technician faces charges that she stole ultrasound equipment from three local hospitals for her own business.

Jenine Marie Ellis, 40, was arrested June 25 in Wake County and charged with two counts of felony larceny and was later charged with a third county by Johnston County authorities.

Affidavits in search warrants returned Thursday claim Ellis stole the equipment from Rex Hospital and WakeMed in Raleigh, and Johnston Memorial Hospital in Smithfield.

Investigators said Ellis advertised her Cary business, Optimal Image LLC, as providing services using technology similar to that which went missing from Rex and WakeMed.

WakeMed surveillance video also captured Ellis in the hospital departments at the time the equipment went missing. Investigators allege that she claimed to be there to repair the equipment but stole it.

Ellis is out of jail on a $60,000 bond, but authorities say more charges are pending. Her court date is scheduled for July 19.

Court records indicate that she also faces numerous other charges, including speeding, driving without a license and prescription drug fraud, for other unrelated crimes. She's also due in court later this month to face those charges.

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She stole 2 probes from Wakemed Cary. If you read the search warrants, she was posing as someone who was claiming to work on machines. Looks like they recovered quite a few of the stolen items. I hope the judge shows no leniency when it comes to jail time.

beachluvr
July 9, 2010 9:49 a.m.

How did she get it out of the hospital? Heartless

not everything she stole was a complete machine. it doesn't say in the story, but she stole a transducer from wakemed cary (western wake as they used to call it). a transducer is just the piece commonly known as a 'probe' for, well, um, ob-gyn types of 'internal' scans.

archmaker
July 8, 2010 7:42 p.m.

Well, the good Book says "The Lord helps those who help themselves."

The law says, "May the Lord help those who get caught helping themselves."

Somewhere in there, there is a proverb. I am sure of it.

God bless.

RB

Spirit Warrior Woman - Rev. RB
July 8, 2010 5:21 p.m.

You'd think with millions unemployed that they would be able to score a hire that wasn't some skanky thief?????

liskm
July 8, 2010 5:06 p.m.

I guess applying for a small business loan was too much work, so she just "borrowed" what she needed. Wonder how she sneaked an ultrsound machine out of the building??? Big purse????

shortcake53
July 8, 2010 4:51 p.m.