St. John the Baptist Parish Sheriff's Office arrested eight individuals — including a former medical assistant at LaPlace, La.-based The Pediatrics Medical Clinic — in connection with a fraudulent prescription drug ring for opiate-based medications, The Times-Picayune reports.
Shallon Dunmiles, the former medical assistant, allegedly stole and used a physician's prescription pad to forge more than 140 fake prescriptions. She reportedly wrote the prescriptions under a local pediatrician's medical license using both children's and others' identities.
The fraudulent prescriptions were for several opiate-based medications including Promethazine with Codeine, Hydrocodone and Oxycodone as well as other controlled medications like Vyvanse, Adderall and Lorazepam, according to Fox 8 Live.
Ms. Dunmiles was arrested Feb.16, 2018 and charged with attempt or conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance, which is a felony. She was released Feb. 19, 2018 on a $30,000 bond.
The seven others arrested in connection with the fraudulent prescriptions include:
- Cortez Williams, who was charged with two counts of obtaining legend drugs by misrepresentation or fraud;
- Wilfred Perrilloux, who was charged with obtaining legend drugs by misrepresentation or fraud;
- LaShonda Melancon, who was charged with 14 felony counts of attempt or conspiracy to distribute or possess with intent to distribute controlled dangerous substance and six counts of identity theft;
- Danyelle Tuco, who was charged with conspiracy to obtain controlled dangerous substances by fraud;
- Danielle Anderson, who was charged with identity theft and conspiracy to obtain a controlled dangerous substance by fraud;
- Ebony Stewart, who was charged with obtaining controlled dangerous substance by fraud/forgery and conspiracy to obtain controlled dangerous substance by fraud; and,
- Andrea Stalks, who was charged with conspiracy to obtain controlled dangerous substance by fraud.
Editor's note: A previous version of this article incorrectly stated the former medical assistant worked at Children's Pediatric Clinic. We regret this error.
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