MORIAH — The man accused of trying to hold up the Hometown Pharmacy in Mineville has been charged with burglarizing Willsboro Pharmacy last month.

Joseph J. Budwick, 35, of Elizabethtown has been in the Essex County Jail without bail since his arrest Saturday for the knifepoint robbery of the Hometown Pharmacy.

On Thursday, he was charged with the felony third-degree burglary of the Willsboro Pharmacy on Route 22. He was arraigned before Moriah Town Justice Brian Venne and returned to the Essex County Jail without bail.

Police said Budwick broke into the Willsboro store at 5 a.m. March 3 and stole prescription drugs valued at $6,000.

Someone forcibly entered the pharmacy through a rear window and stole more than 3,000 narcotic pills and tablets, along with 25 narcotic Fentanyl patches, police said.

In the Mineville holdup, Budwick is accused of taking codeine and other drugs. He tried to swallow some of the drugs outside, but was stopped by a neighbor of the pharmacy, who tackled him as he attempted to flee.

William Orr of Mineville was honored this week by both Essex County and the Town of Moriah for stopping Budwick as the man allegedly tried to flee out the rear of the drugstore.

During the robbery Budwick allegedly assaulted the owners of the Hometown Pharmacy, who had to be treated for their injuries.

Police are looking for further information on Budwick’s activities and say anyone who can help should call Bureau of Criminal Investigation Investigator Marshall Rocque at the Lewis station at 873-2750.

E-mail Lohr McKinstry at:

lmckinstry@pressrepublican.com