2 accused in ID theft involving elderly patients

EAST ST. LOUIS — A worker at a southern Illinois hospital and a second woman face federal charges that they plotted to steal identities of elderly patients.

A federal grand jury in East St. Louis has returned an indictment accusing Ashley Drummond of Belleville and Susan Harris of Fairview Heights with conspiracy to commit mail fraud and identity theft. Both women are 27.

According to the indictment, Drummond was working in the radiology department at the unspecified hospital last November when she stole personal information from the hospital charges and computer records of elderly patients.

With Harris’ help, Drummond applied for credit cards in the patients’ names and used those cards for personal purchases.

Online court records don’t show whether Drummond or Harris have retained attorneys. They do not have listed home telephone numbers.