advertisement

Mount Prospect women charged with arson and identity theft

A Mount Prospect woman who prosecutors say was seen carrying a bucket of gas in a parking lot where a fire was set was ordered held on $50,000 bail Friday.

Nichole Gallup is accused of both identity theft and of starting a fire Wednesday in the parking lot of a pharmacy on Kensington Road in Mount Prospect.

If convicted of the most serious charge, Gallup faces up to seven years in prison.

Prosecutors say Gallup works for her physician father. They say she added the drug alprazolam, known as Xanax, to a patient's prescription for an antibiotic used to treat skin infections and signed her father's name. Gallup filled the prescription Monday, prosecutors said. On Tuesday, the patient went to the pharmacy and was told the prescription had been picked up, said Jennifer Gates, Cook County assistant state's attorney.

Surveillance video captured the transaction, but Gallup could not be identified at that time, Gates said.

Gallup returned to the pharmacy after hours on Wednesday with a "bucket of gas," Gates said. After throwing a brick through the drive-through window, Gallup started a fire outside the building in front of the window, Gates said.

A witness observed the fire, saw Gallup carrying a flaming bucket and called police, Gates said. Gallup was arrested at the scene.

An employee identified Gallup as the person in the surveillance video who picked up the prescription, Gates said.

Authorities estimated the damage at $5,000 for the window and in excess of $10,000 for the parking lot.

Gallup next appears in court on June 7.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.