A 36-year-old former anesthesiology resident at Seattle Children’s Hospital and Harborview and University of Washington Medical Centers was sentenced to one year of supervised release including 200 hours of community service for diverting narcotic pain medication to his own use while treating patients. Andrew Voegel-Podadera, of Seattle, was arrested in June 2025 and charged with obtaining controlled substances by fraud. Voegel-Podadera pleaded guilty in October 2025, admitting he secretly took fentanyl, hydromorphone, and other medications over the course of a year while working in the UW Medicine system. He sometimes used the diverted substances while still at the hospital, meaning he was under the influence of potent narcotics while treating patients. According to records filed in the case, between 2022 and 2024, Voegel-Podadera worked as a resident anesthesiologist. He did rotations at Seattle Children’s Hospital, Harborview Medical Center, and the UW Medical Center. On December 27, 2024, Voegel-Podadera saw three patients at Children’s—the youngest was just 11-days old. From the beginning of his shift, Voegel-Podadera began stealing and using pain medications that were meant for patients. He consumed fentanyl and hydromorphone and then returned the vials to the pharmacy with saline in them, claiming it was “wastage.” Fortunately, the attending physician found his behavior odd and reported it to others at Children’s. Ultimately, Voegel-Podadera admitted stealing and taking drugs while on duty as far back as January 2024.