When you think of Boeing what comes to mind? Airplanes, of course. Ah, but a lot more goes on at Boeing besides aircraft!

Agents from the FBI and Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) arrested employees and former employees of Boeing’s Ridley Park, Pennsylvania plant and one non-employee in a coordinated, long-term, undercover effort aimed at prescription drug abuse at the manufacturing plant.

Of course, the company, Boeing, is in no way culpable here, but this certainly is press that the company does not need as it continues to battle Airbus for supremacy in the aircraft industry. Of course, like many companies, including General Electric, Boeing is most definitely diversified in to many industries.

Indictments against 23 individuals were unsealed today charging each with the illegal distribution of a prescription drug. The drugs being distributed by these defendants include but are not limited to fentanyl (Actiq), oxycodone (Oxycontin), alprazolam (Xanax), and buprenorphine (Suboxone). The charges allege that each defendant either sold a controlled substance to an FBI cooperator or bought what was believed to be a controlled substance from the cooperator but which was, in fact, a placebo.

The drugs were being distributed on Boeing’s property. Boeing officials brought their suspicions of drug activity to federal law enforcement and have cooperated fully with the long-term investigation.

Drug abuse and the illegal sale and purchase of controlled substances are serious criminal problems in the U.S. today. The abuse of prescription narcotic drugs can be as dangerous and devastating as the use of illegal drugs.

Well, if there is a positive side to this thing it is Boeing – they didn’t try to sweep something under the rug and stood up and helped law enforcement.

“Nails” is digging himself deeper and deeper. For baseball fans, the title of this blog combined with the lead tells you were are speaking of Lenny Dykstra, former Major League Baseball All-Star and World Series Champion.

He was called “Nails” because of his toughness. He played the game hard. But like many celebrities and professional athletes who have reached the pinnacle of success, Dykstra has fallen on hard times – and drugs and alcohol are partially to blame!

Real Class Act

Dykstra, who already is jailed on state and federal charges, pleaded not guilty today to indecent exposure for allegedly exposing himself to women who responded to online advertisements for a personal assistant or housekeeper.

Dykstra, 48, who owns a home in Encino, was charged with two misdemeanor counts of indecent exposure. The charges stem from a series of complaints—one from 2009, three from 2010 and more this year.

Craigslist

Dykstra allegedly placed advertisements on the Craigslist website in search of a personal assistant or housekeeper. When women came to his home in response to the ads, Dykstra told them the job required them to give him a massage, and he would expose himself.

If convicted of the misdemeanor charges, the former New York Mets and Philadelphia Phillies outfielder faces up to six months in jail and $1,000 in fines for each count.

Dykstra was ordered July 22 to stand trial on 25 criminal counts in state court, including grand theft auto, for allegedly trying to lease cars using phony business and credit information.

Dykstra remains jailed in lieu of $455,000 bail. He is also facing federal bankruptcy charges stemming from the alleged sale of property from his $18 million mansion in Ventura County.

The Charges Keep Piling On

In state court, Dykstra is charged with eight counts of filing false financial statements, five counts of attempted grand theft auto, four counts of identity theft and three counts each of grand theft auto and possession of a controlled substance – all felonies!

How about one more charge - he also faces one misdemeanor count each of possession of a controlled substance without a prescription and unauthorized possession of a syringe.

If convicted in the felony case, he faces up to 12 years in state prison. With a long history of drugs and alcohol, it looks like Dykstra should seek help. Perhaps a good drug education class or alcohol awareness class, along with a online theft class could get him started on the path to redemption.

Let us begin by stating once and for all – stealing is wrong.  There is no good reason to steal.  As a counselor for drug awareness classes and online theft classes I like to keep abreast of any interesting news stories about these subjects.  The following has to be one of the most ludicrous I ever have seen.

Painful Erections Cause Man to Become Drug Addict and Thief

I know what you are thinking, ‘did I read that correctly?’  Yes, it appears to be true, not something culled from The Onion.

The story has it that a New York man has been arrested for stealing money in order to combat his painful erections.

30-year-old David Miller allegedly broke into his father Tommy's apartment in the city and demanded money for painkillers, which he had become addicted to after developing his embarrassing condition.

David pulled a knife on his dad and declared "I want you out, and I want money", according to court documents acquired by The New York Post.

Tommy is then said to have called police, after which his son was arrested for burglary and attempted robbery. However, the elder Miller has since posted bail, which was set at a $25,000 bond or $5,000 in cash.

The father explained that his son has a very rare disease, a priapism, which means he gets an erection that lasts five or six hours, and it's very painful.

Doctors originally prescribed the powerful painkiller oxycodone to help him deal with his painful erections.  While the erections remain a problem, it is his addiction to oxycodone that is causing legal problems.  He's addicted to drugs now.

There is nothing funny about drug addiction and stealing, but I have to admit this story did cause me a chuckle or two.