ST. GEORGE — Two Las Vegas women were arrested Friday for allegedly using a St. George nurse practitioner’s DEA registration number to fraudulently obtain prescription drugs.
Detectives had been investigating a prescription fraud case in which a Dixie Regional Medical Center Emergency Room nurse practitioner’s DEA number was allegedly being fraudulently used to obtain prescription drugs in Washington County, according to a probable cause statement filed by the St. George Police Department in support of the arrests.
The investigation began on Dec. 21, 2015, when a fraudulent prescription was called in to Albertsons Savon Pharmacy, 745 N. Dixie Drive, using the nurse practitioner’s DEA number, the report stated.
The prescription was dispensed at that time for Phenergan with codeine 240-milligrams, according to the statement. A woman picked the prescription drugs up using her driver’s license number which police learned was registered to 26-year-old Brianna Rena Clarke of Las Vegas..
On March 18, Albertsons Savon Pharmacy received a phone call from a woman who said she was the ER nurse practitioner.
Again, using the nurse practitioner’s DEA number and personal information, the report stated, the woman requested the pharmacy fill a prescription of Promethazine with codeine as well as Amoxicillin for an Ashley Brookfield.
The woman told the pharmacist that the prescription would be picked up by individuals coming from Las Vegas. Thinking the call was unusual, the report stated, the pharmacist called the nurse to confirm the prescription was valid.
After the nurse told the pharmacist the prescription was fraudulent, the pharmacist notified police.
At 6:47 p.m. Friday, Clarke and 22-year-old Kea Nyesha Chenard entered Albertsons store and attempted to pick up the prescription drugs, but the two women were intercepted by St. George Police. Clarke and Chenard were detained and questioned by authorities.
When questioned, Chenard admitted she was contacted by a friend about traveling to St. George to earn extra money by providing her identification to pharmacists to pick up prescription medication, the report stated. Chenard was told she would be paid $200 for picking up the medication.
After picking up a prescription at Rite Aid Pharmacy in St. George, Chenard told police she went to Albertsons Savon Pharmacy to pick up more prescriptions but insisted she didn’t know the prescriptions were fraudulent, according to the statement.
Clarke requested an attorney.
Both Clarke and Chenard were arrested and booked into the Washington County Purgatory Correctional Facility.
Clarke was charged with two third-degree felony counts of identity fraud, along with two third-degree felony counts of falsely obtaining prescription drugs.
Clarke was released from custody on $23,900 bond pending trial. She is scheduled to appear before Judge G. Michael Westfall in 5th District Court Friday afternoon for an initial court appearance.
Chenard was charged with one third-degree felony count of identity fraud, along with a class A misdemeanor for attempting to falsely obtain prescription drugs.
Chenard is scheduled to appear before Judge Eric Ludlow in 5th District Court Monday afternoon for her initial court appearance.
Persons arrested or charged are presumed innocent until found guilty in a court of law or as otherwise decided by a trier-of-fact.
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