Maryland Drug Litigation Lawyers

Prescription Fraud Arrest in Montgomery County

Investigators from the Montgomery County Police Pharmaceutical Fraud Unit and the Repeat Offender Section have arrested Christopher Lee Case, age 19, of the 400 block of Ritchie Parkway in Rockville, and Timothy James Denzel, age 19, of the unit block of Russell Avenue in Gaithersburg, for a prescription fraud incident which occurred on June 12.

Investigators from the Pharmaceutical Fraud Unit were contacted by the Giant Pharmacy located at 20044 Goshen Road in Gaithersburg. A pharmacist reported that a man, later identified as Denzel, had presented a fraudulent prescription for OxyContin to be filled. Recognizing the prescription to be fraudulent, the pharmacist told Denzel that the medication was out of stock, and to come back to pick up the prescription on another day. The pharmacist then called police to notify them of the incident.

The Pharmaceutical Fraud Unit was again contacted by the pharmacy. The pharmacist reported that Denzel had called to ask if the prescription was ready, and stated that he was on his way to pick it up. Investigators responded to the store. At about 2:45 p.m., a man, later identified as Case, arrived at the store in a car being driven by Denzel. Minutes later, the pharmacist called investigators, who were waiting outside, to report that a man, Case, was attempting to purchase the OxyContin prescription left by Denzel. Both Denzel and case were arrested.

Both men were charged with CDS-obtained by making a forged prescription, and were released on their own recognizance, to await trial.

Prescription fraud is a major problem in the United States. One of the biggest factors driving prescription fraud is the abuse of and addiction to prescription drugs. Most frequently abused are narcotic pain-relievers, such as Valium, Darvocet, Percocet, and OxyContin. OxyContin appears to have gained popularity rapidly among drug abusers. It is a controlled-released form of Oxycodone that lasts for 12 hours. However, when crushed to be snorted or mixed with water for injection, OxyContin delivers a very powerful high, much like that of heroin, and hence its popularity among heroin addicts. OxyContin can be highly addictive, and can demand a high price on the black market.

In Montgomery County in 2005, statistics indicate that 76 prescription fraud offenses were recorded, with 16 arrests made. Available national estimates indicate that 10% of all funds spent on health care is lost to drug fraud and abuse, including prescription fraud, which translates into a loss of $50 to $80 billion dollars a year. Besides the economical impact, there is a potential physical threat to the health care consumer. Because medication must be taken in precise measurements, abusing medications that are not prescribed or taken in dosages which are too large or small can have serious consequences, such as severe illness or even death.
Those who commit prescription fraud are very creative in the ways they use to obtain medication fraudulently. Prescription pads stolen from doctor’s offices may be used to write fake prescriptions; prescriptions may be written for fictitious patients; and patients may, in an effort to obtain additional amounts of legitimately prescribed drugs, alter the doctor’s prescription.

Prescription fraud is a serious offense, which can result in criminal charges and jail time. In Maryland, the violations associated with prescription fraud are:

• Forgery of a prescription
• Uttering (presenting) a forged prescription
• Possession of a forged prescription
• Obtaining a drug by fraud

All of these crimes are misdemeanors. The maximum penalty for committing these crimes is 2 years imprisonment, and possible fines.

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