EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ—A Sayreville man was arrested on September 12 and charged with “selling medical records that he stole from a storage unit in East Brunswick,” according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office (MCPO).

Authorities stated that “over 1,000 medical records,” which contained confidential personal information, were stolen and then sold, allegedly by Fernando Rios.

Rios, age 33, was arrested that same day on a third-degree burglary charge as well as two second-degree offenses: identity theft, and trafficking in personally identifying information.

The investiation was reportedly led by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a division of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the controversial federal agency.

Detectives Jonathan Berman and Kevin Schroeck of the MCPO teamed up with HSI and the East Brunswick Police Department, according to the MCPO’s announcement of the arrest.

“During the investigation, led by Homeland Security Investigations, it was determined that Rios broke into a storage facility in East Brunswick, which housed the records of a medical practice of three doctors from East Brunswick and Somerset,” continues the official statement.

However, the MCPO reportedly declined to identify the medical practice whose records were stolen, and hasn’t said anything about what actions patients can take to determine if their records were sold.

As reported by Jack Murtha, under the headline “Cops Not Naming Medical Practice Whose Patient Records Were Stolen,” on TapInto New Brunswick:

The name of the practice wasn’t immediately clear. Andrea Boulton, spokesperson for the prosecutor’s office, declined to identify the business.

“At this time we are not identifying the doctors or their practice since they are considered the victims in the active investigation,” she told TAPinto New Brunswick today, Sept. 14, via email.

As of 3:15 p.m., Boulton hadn’t responded to a subsequent email regarding the security of the patients whose information was jacked.

The investigation is active and is continuing, according to a press release issued by the MCPO.  That release, however, was not sent to this newspaper despite a multitude of requests to be added to Boulton’s press list.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Berman at (732) 745-4328 or Detective Schroeck at (732) 745-3927.

Editor at New Brunswick Today | 732-993-9697 | editor@newbrunswicktoday.com | Website

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.

Charlie is the founder and editor of New Brunswick Today, and the winner of the Awbrey Award for Community-Oriented Local Journalism. He is a proud Rutgers University journalism graduate, a community organizer, and a former independent candidate for mayor of New Brunswick.