MOORE COUNTY SEES A SURGE IN PILL FRAUD

CARTHAGE - Moore County deputies have seized more than 7,000 pills so
far this year in their crackdown on the illegal distribution and abuse
of prescription pills.

That compares with 1,700 prescription pills seized in all of
2008.

As part of its effort to crack down on cases of diversion - the
illegal distribution or abuse of prescription drugs - a detective from
the Sheriff's Office Narcotics Division was named a full-time
diversion officer last year. The officer, Sgt. Jerry Aponte, focuses
on doctor-shopping and prescription fraud.

"We've seen an increase in the last couple of years, especially
pertaining to doctor-shopping cases," said Capt. Jerrell Seawell, who
works in the Narcotics Division.

Prescription drug abuse can take several forms. Prescriptions may be
forged or altered to increase the dosage. Patients may shop from one
doctor to another to get more than one prescription. Patients with
prescriptions may sell their pills.

Prescription fraud and selling prescription pills are felonies.
Penalties can range from probation to a mandatory prison sentence.

"We're seeing it affect all ages, gender and race," Seawell said. "It
crosses all socioeconomic lines. We're seeing it from teenagers
abusing or selling pills to senior citizens."

Seawell cited an example of a 66-year-old man from Vass who was
charged June 16 with possession with intent to sell drugs, including
Valium, OxyContin and Roxicodone.

A week later, a married couple in Pinebluff was charged with intent to
sell drugs that included prescription pain pills.

The problem became personal to Sheriff Lane Carter on June
9.

His son, Seth Cameron Carter, was charged with trafficking in
controlled prescription pills. Carter, 21, is in jail pending trial.

"I'm trying to get him to a rehab facility, as a father, not as the
sheriff, of course," Lane Carter said. "It's a difficult situation."

In the last six months of 2008, Moore County deputies made 29 arrests
on 186 charges involving doctor shopping and prescription pill fraud.
There have been 103 arrests on 494 charges this year, Seawell said.

The Sheriff's Office began to investigate diversion cases more than
five years ago, Seawell said.

"A lot of counties didn't even (make) charges on prescription pills
then," Seawell said. "A lot of officers didn't know how. We've been
working with other county agencies trying to get those counties on
board."

In five years, Seawell said, Moore County officers have investigated
300 cases related to prescription pills.

"We've actually arrested people in the emergency room on some of these
diversion cases who were waiting to be seen," Carter said. "That's
where we found them. Right in the emergency room." Painkillers top
list

So far this year, deputies have seized 7,290 pills - with 4,500
involving one case. The majority are the painkillers Percocet and Lorcet.

Aponte, the county's diversion officer, spends much of his day talking
with doctors and pharmacists at the more than a dozen drugstores in
the county. One of his duties is to educate and get the word out about
possible fraud and abuse.

"We've had a lot of cooperation," Seawell said. "They're actually very
happy to see somebody investigating these cases because they've seen
the problems for several years."

Carter said one of the problems for Aponte is not having direct access
to collect information on potential suspects through the state's
prescriber/dispenser database. The database is maintained by the state
Department of Health and Human Services.

It is used to keep prescription and pharmaceutical records and can be
accessed by doctors and pharmacists. Police must go through the State
Bureau of Investigation to get the information.

Lane is advocating that be changed. He is working with state lawmakers
on the matter.

A proposed bill was introduced by Rep. Marian McLawhorn of Pitt County
in April. The proposal could go to a legislative study committee.