Ocean City Man Posed as Doctor for Fraudulent Prescriptions
A recent article in the Maryland Coast Dispatch discusses the case of an Ocean City man who allegedly posed as a doctor and called in fake prescriptions to local pharmacies for painkillers. The article said that on June 11, 2009, officers with the Ocean City Police Department (OCPD) narcotics unit began a pharmaceutical drug investigation of a man who had allegedly been calling in fake Hydrocodone prescriptions while posing as a doctor from Laurel, Maryland. The article said that the 38-year-old defendant in the Maryland drug crime case is from Ocean City, MD.
Detectives from the OCPD began their investigation of the man after receiving a tip from a pharmacist working for a pharmacy on 120th Street. Police officials said that the pharmacist suspected illegal activity from the way that the prescription drugs were being prescribed and the particular drug that was prescribed. In the course of conducting their investigation, OCPD detectives discovered that the person who the drugs were fraudulently prescribed for had recently been discharged as a patient from a Laurel, Maryland doctor’s office.
Supposedly, the man had been discharged from a doctor’s care due to repeated attempts to call in fraudulent prescriptions by posing as doctor. After allegedly phoning in a fraudulent prescription for Hydrocodone, the man was arrested as he attempted to pick up the prescription from the pharmacy on 120th Street. While police arrested the man, they also found marijuana in his possession. Police then charged him with:
- Obtaining a CDS prescription by fraud
- Obtaining a CDS prescription by impersonation
- Possession of marijuana
- And possession of drug paraphernalia
After his arrest, the man was taken before a District Court Commissioner and transferred to the county jail on a $5,000 bond. Hydrocodone is classified as a Schedule 3 controlled dangerous substance and is a potentially addictive painkiller also known by the brand name Vicodin.
According to 2005 statistics provided by the federal government, more people are arrested on drug crimes charges than any other type of federal crime. Anyone charged with possessing prescription medication without a prescription, marijuana possession, or possession of another controlled substance in Maryland can face severe criminal penalties such as:
- Thousands of dollars in fines
- Years and possibly decades in federal prison
- Forfeiture and seizure of any personal property law enforcement officials think may be related to the drugs
- Mandatory drug classes and counseling
- Probation
- Parole
- Permanent marks on their record
- And other harsh criminal penalties
The skilled Maryland drug crimes lawyers at Meng & Alpert, LLC have many years of experience in successfully defending individuals charged with drug crimes. Led by former Prosecutor Andrew Alpert, their attorneys understand how the prosecution can build a Maryland drug crimes case and they use that knowledge to assist them in defending their clients. If you're facing drug charges of any kind, call 866-444-6363 to schedule a free consultation with the aggressive drug crimes defense lawyers at Meng & Alpert today.
