ARRESTS MADE IN PRESCRIPTION-FRAUD CASE

Medicaid Cards Used To Obtain Medication For Resale, Authorities Say

WHITEVILLE -- Columbus County lawmen said Thursday they have broken up a
ring that had taxpayers paying for illegal prescriptions, which were then sold.

Sheriff Jimmy Ferguson said warrants have been issued against 32 people. By
late afternoon, 23 warrants had been served.

"What we have here," Ferguson said, "are people buying Medicaid cards from
Medicaid recipients, then turning around and forging prescriptions and
taking the prescriptions and Medicaid cards to a pharmacy and getting
thousands of dollars of prescriptions filled -- primarily OxyContin."

Some were accused of receiving bottles of the powerful prescription
painkiller OxyContin worth as much as $700, paying only the $3 co-payment
required by Medicaid, then reselling the drugs on the street, Detective
Gregg Cole said.

"Most drug dealers at least manufacture the product they are selling,"
Ferguson said. "This is different. Taxpayers' money was being used to buy
drugs."

Ferguson said the investigation originated at the Columbus County
Department of Social Services, then grew to include his detectives and
state and federal agents.

Cole said the case may be the first of its kind in the state.

Federal, state and local law enforcement officers gathered at the Law
Enforcement Center at 8 a.m., and a short time later began picking up
suspects throughout the county.

Ferguson promised more arrests.

"We're not through with this investigation," Ferguson said. "If you are
involved in obtaining OxyContin illegally, and especially using Medicaid to
do it, don't be surprised if there's a knock on your door real soon." There
were few incidents as the arrests were made Wednesday, and no injuries,
Ferguson said. One man found hiding in a closet was subdued with pepper
spray, Ferguson said.

Those charged Wednesday are accused of fraudulently obtaining or assisting
someone in fraudulently obtaining prescription medication.

Those charged are: Crystal Bailey, 22, of Old Stake Road; Alexandria
Belton, 27, of Miller Road; Annie R. Dixon, 39, of Miller Road; Christine
Evans, 47, of Lebanon Church Road; Clara Graham, 45, of Clyde Norris Road;
Catherine Grate, 34, of Miller Road; David Hedwin, 35, of Shug Norris Road;
Joyce Hemingway, 39, of Chestnut Street; Josephine Johnson, 56, of Yam
Lane; Willie Johnson Jr., 63, of Jim Jolly Road; Linda Jordan, 49, of
Miller Road; Beverly Kyle, 40, of Mollie Road; Crystal Lazarus, 33, of West
Seventh Street; Joseph Miller, 23, of Smith Lane; Joyce Nealey, 49, of
Ridgeland Acres; Lataya Nealey, 21, of Yam Lane; Devaugh Prince, 30, of 213
Ray St.; Shonta Shaw, 28, of West Fourth Street; Franklin Vanderhorst, 57,
of West Sixth Street; Audra Davis, 22, of Tram Road; Gladiola Freeman, 47,
Old Wilmington Road; Barbara Graham, 45, Tom Sessions Road; and Latreal
Odom, 23, of Gillard Road.