The Texas State Board of Pharmacy, meanwhile, is considering fining or otherwise punishing the taxpayer-funded hospital system and three pharmacists. Board documents obtained by TheNews say Parkland's outpatient pharmacies and the pharmacists failed to keep proper records or develop sufficient plans for preventing drug theft, as required by law.

Parkland says it moved quickly when it discovered the problem in 2007, alerting regulators and terminating some employees.

Among those fired was a supervising pharmacist who allegedly warned subordinates that hospital police were investigating. Parkland still employs the other two head pharmacists.

Five pharmacy technicians also were fired. Two of them, who face theft and organized crime charges in Dallas County state district court, plan to plead guilty this week in exchange for probationary sentences, their lawyer said Friday.

Leroy Johnson, the lawyer representing technicians Delana Dial and Lamonica Garner, said they are cooperating with a separate investigation by the Drug Enforcement Administration. That federal probe is both civil and criminal in nature, he said, without elaborating.

Dr. Ron Anderson , Parkland's president and chief executive, said the hospital system is "working with" the DEA and Justice Department prosecutors.

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