On Nov. 4, 2003 Buffalo toddler Garrett Rice died from oxycodone in his blood system. For the past five years his family has wondered how this event occurred and who was responsible for his death.
Answers might be coming shortly as the Buffalo police department has reopened the case.
Police Chief Jeremy Murrell conducted a series of drug raids in February. During one of the busts some new evidence was discovered that led Murrell to reconsider the Garrett Rice case. One of the suspects in the case was spotted at a home police raided for drugs.
Murrell said he officially reopened the case on Feb. 20. Soon after Rice’s family made fliers offering $10,000 reward for any information regarding the death of the Buffalo toddler.
Murrell said even though new evidence has been found, the investigation is still ongoing. There are details related to Garrett’s death that investigators are unclear about. Murrell hopes that with a reward being offered more people will step forward and tell what they know regarding the suspicious circumstances of Garrett’s death.
Back in 2003, Rice, 1, was dropped off at the babysitter’s by his mother, Casey. Casey was going to Oklahoma City that night to be with her husband, who was recovering from surgery.
While under babysitter Sharon Rowley’s supervision, the boy died.
The State Medical Examiner’s Office determined that Rice had enough oxycodone in his system to kill an adult.
Oxycodone is found in adult prescription pain medications such as OxyContin and Percocet. The drug is considered to be morphine-like and has a similar abuse potential. It is available in tablet, capsule and liquid forms.
Murrell said that according to the autopsy report, there was no evidence of pills in Garrett’s system.
The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation took over the case when it was determined by the State Medical Examiner’s Office that the death was “extremely suspicious.”
According to a statement Chief Murrell prepared, “this case was investigated thoroughly by the OSBI and the case was presented to the district attorney’s office.”
The statement goes on to say that at the time the district attorney’s office looked into the case, but could not find enough evidence to support prosecution.
This crushed Rice’s family, as they had to wait for evidence to appear that could bring them closure. With Murrell reopening the case, it has renewed the family’s spirit.
“The new police chief is the reason why this case is being looked at again,” said Christina Rice, Garrett’s grandmother.
She said the family constantly went to the district attorney about the case, but kept receiving the same answers about there being no new evidence.
Murrell said the family has come to him constantly as well, calling him eight or nine times each day for updates or to provide information.
“They’re the ones who have really pushed this,” he said. “They’ve done anything I’ve asked.”
Murrell has been police chief of Buffalo since October of last year. He said that his reserve officer came up to him his first day on the job and told him that the case needed to be reopened.
Nothing could have been done though, Murrell said, until more evidence was discovered. He said that the lack of evidence has hampered OSBI’s investigation of the case as well as the district attorney’s prosecution.
But with the help of Rice’s family and the public, Murrell is confident that something will turn up and the case can be closed soon.
District Attorney Michael Boring has been recovering from an illness and will not return to office until April 1. Murrell said that at that time he will go over the case with Boring.
With Rice’s death being looked at again and progress being made, it has brought some sense of an end to a five year ordeal for the family.
“Now I hope it all goes right,” Rice said.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your Addiction and get your life back.
Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353
Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com
Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine.
Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine
Monday, March 23, 2009
Restaurant proprietor charged in drug bust
Police say Kuong tried to purchase 2,100 pills worth about $500,000
By Eric Morrison | JUNEAU EMPIRE
Law enforcement officials made four felony arrests Thursday in Juneau's continued battle against ill-gotten prescription drugs.
"It is a big issue," Juneau Police Department Sgt. Dave Campbell said. "As far as a controlled substance point of view, we probably deal with more issues dealing with OxyContin than any other drug at this point in time."
Juneau businessman Ri Dong "Gino" Kuang, 34, was arrested at about noon at a Mendenhall Valley hotel on a felony charge of attempted misconduct involving a controlled substance.
Kuang was arrested for trying to purchase 600 tablets of oxycodone, at 80-milligrams each, from an informant, District Attorney Doug Gardner said during a bail hearing on Friday in District Court. The court set Kuang's bail at $100,000.
The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and a possible fine of up to $250,000.
Oxycodone is an opium-derived analgesic medication prescribed for moderate to severe pain. OxyContin is the name brand of an extended-release form of oxycodone that was first marketed to cancer patients in 1996 by the company Purdue Pharma.
The prescription drug can be ingested in tablet form, crushed and snorted up the nose, smoked or injected intravenously for an intense high that has been compared to heroin. The drug has been in high demand in Juneau in recent years. An 80-milligram pill has an approximate street value of $175 in Juneau, Campbell said, but the price is on the rise.
"We're getting intelligence as recently as a week and a half ago that the price has increased to $250 a pill," he said.
Gardner said in court that the informant had previously sold Kuang between 300 and 600 of the 80-milligram oxycodone pills on five separate occasions. He told the court the value of the drugs - considering a low estimate of 1,500 pills allegedly acquired and the attempted acquisition of 600 more on Thursday - were worth between $378,000 and $525,000 street value, according to police estimates.
"This is a pretty big case for us," Campbell said.
The undercover drug operation was carried out by the Juneau Police Department, Drug Enforcement Agency agents, Port of Seattle Police and the Alaska State Troopers.
In a separate undercover investigation conducted by the four law enforcement agencies, 25-year-old Juneau resident Loretta "Jean" McCutcheon was arrested at about 1 p.m. Thursday at the same hotel on felony charges of misconduct involving a controlled substance and aiding and abetting. The two men in the vehicle McCutcheon arrived in, Dillinger Graham, 27, and Randal Benc, 23, both Juneau residents, also were arrested.
Graham has been charged with misconduct involving weapons and two felony counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance. Benc was charged with felony counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance in the second degree and aiding and abetting.
Campbell said both investigations are continuing. The vehicles that Kuang and McCutcheon drove to the scene in were each seized as evidence and will be searched, he said.
"Just because we made arrests, it doesn't mean these investigations are over," Campbell said. "If anything it means that even more work now starts because you get search warrants and that leads to more information, and that information leads to more search warrants."
There are still more people that investigators are looking to speak with about the two cases.
"Some of those people we are looking to get information from, and some of those people we may even end up charging for crimes down the road as well," he said. "It's a small town. If a person is going to be dealing drugs here, it's pretty much just a matter of time until they get caught."
• Contact reporter Eric Morrison at 523-2269 or eric.morrison@juneauempire.com.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your Addiction and get your life back.
Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353
Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com
Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine.
Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine
By Eric Morrison | JUNEAU EMPIRE
Law enforcement officials made four felony arrests Thursday in Juneau's continued battle against ill-gotten prescription drugs.
"It is a big issue," Juneau Police Department Sgt. Dave Campbell said. "As far as a controlled substance point of view, we probably deal with more issues dealing with OxyContin than any other drug at this point in time."
Juneau businessman Ri Dong "Gino" Kuang, 34, was arrested at about noon at a Mendenhall Valley hotel on a felony charge of attempted misconduct involving a controlled substance.
Kuang was arrested for trying to purchase 600 tablets of oxycodone, at 80-milligrams each, from an informant, District Attorney Doug Gardner said during a bail hearing on Friday in District Court. The court set Kuang's bail at $100,000.
The charge is punishable by up to 20 years in jail and a possible fine of up to $250,000.
Oxycodone is an opium-derived analgesic medication prescribed for moderate to severe pain. OxyContin is the name brand of an extended-release form of oxycodone that was first marketed to cancer patients in 1996 by the company Purdue Pharma.
The prescription drug can be ingested in tablet form, crushed and snorted up the nose, smoked or injected intravenously for an intense high that has been compared to heroin. The drug has been in high demand in Juneau in recent years. An 80-milligram pill has an approximate street value of $175 in Juneau, Campbell said, but the price is on the rise.
"We're getting intelligence as recently as a week and a half ago that the price has increased to $250 a pill," he said.
Gardner said in court that the informant had previously sold Kuang between 300 and 600 of the 80-milligram oxycodone pills on five separate occasions. He told the court the value of the drugs - considering a low estimate of 1,500 pills allegedly acquired and the attempted acquisition of 600 more on Thursday - were worth between $378,000 and $525,000 street value, according to police estimates.
"This is a pretty big case for us," Campbell said.
The undercover drug operation was carried out by the Juneau Police Department, Drug Enforcement Agency agents, Port of Seattle Police and the Alaska State Troopers.
In a separate undercover investigation conducted by the four law enforcement agencies, 25-year-old Juneau resident Loretta "Jean" McCutcheon was arrested at about 1 p.m. Thursday at the same hotel on felony charges of misconduct involving a controlled substance and aiding and abetting. The two men in the vehicle McCutcheon arrived in, Dillinger Graham, 27, and Randal Benc, 23, both Juneau residents, also were arrested.
Graham has been charged with misconduct involving weapons and two felony counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance. Benc was charged with felony counts of misconduct involving a controlled substance in the second degree and aiding and abetting.
Campbell said both investigations are continuing. The vehicles that Kuang and McCutcheon drove to the scene in were each seized as evidence and will be searched, he said.
"Just because we made arrests, it doesn't mean these investigations are over," Campbell said. "If anything it means that even more work now starts because you get search warrants and that leads to more information, and that information leads to more search warrants."
There are still more people that investigators are looking to speak with about the two cases.
"Some of those people we are looking to get information from, and some of those people we may even end up charging for crimes down the road as well," he said. "It's a small town. If a person is going to be dealing drugs here, it's pretty much just a matter of time until they get caught."
• Contact reporter Eric Morrison at 523-2269 or eric.morrison@juneauempire.com.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your Addiction and get your life back.
Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353
Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com
Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine.
Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine
Proposed Methadone Tax Riles Clinics, Patients
CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Methadone clinics and their patients are fighting a proposed state tax on the medication, but some lawmakers say the tax would help fight West Virginia's drug problem.
A bill in the House of Delegates would tax treatment centers $1 for each daily dose of methadone they distribute. Revenues estimated at $1.5 million a year would fund prevention, intervention and recovery programs.
Methadone is used to help curb the cravings of people addicted to drugs like OxyContin and heroin. It's also prescribed as a painkiller.
CRC Health Group regional director Angela Wagner called the bill "discriminatory." Delegate Don Perdue said clinics wouldn't have to pass the tax on to patients.
A public hearing is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday in the House chamber.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your Addiction and get your life back.
Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353
Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com
Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine.
Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine
A bill in the House of Delegates would tax treatment centers $1 for each daily dose of methadone they distribute. Revenues estimated at $1.5 million a year would fund prevention, intervention and recovery programs.
Methadone is used to help curb the cravings of people addicted to drugs like OxyContin and heroin. It's also prescribed as a painkiller.
CRC Health Group regional director Angela Wagner called the bill "discriminatory." Delegate Don Perdue said clinics wouldn't have to pass the tax on to patients.
A public hearing is scheduled for 4 p.m. Tuesday in the House chamber.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your Addiction and get your life back.
Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353
Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com
Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine.
Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Have You Taken SEROQUEL?
AVANDIA LAWSUIT INF: + Before you discontinue use of this or ANY medication you need to consult your Doctor or a Medical Professional, as dangerous side effects are possible with sudden discontinuation of use.
Dec. 30, 2005
A two-year study at VA Connecticut Healthcare System found that high blood sugar levels existed in nearly one out of every three patients using atypical antipsychotics, including Seroquel. Patients who were otherwise thought to have normal blood sugar levels, actually demonstrate "significant abnormalities" of glucose metabolism, sufficient to justify screening in outpatient populations.
Those that have already suffered as a result of taking Seroquel may be entitled to compensation from the manufacturer of the drug, AstraZeneca.
* Diabetes
* Pancreatitis
* Ketoacidosis
* Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome
Drug litigation lawyers are able to help affected patients put together a sound case with a view to making a claim, and the settlement received can cover medical expenses resulting from problems caused by Seroquel, as well as pain and suffering of patients that have experienced harm or injury from this drug.
Patients that are taking Seroquel as a regular treatment at the moment are advised not to simply stop taking it, but to contact their doctor with a view to changing over to an alternative medication. Patients are also advised to remain vigilant and look out for signs of diabetes, which include increased thirst, weight gain, and increased urination. Any signs of these effects should be immediately reported to a doctor so that tests can be carried out as soon as possible.
If you, a family member, or friend has suffered Diabetes, Blood Sugar Disorders or Pancreatitis using Seroquel, there is a chance you qualify for monetary compensation from the manufacturer. Don't hesitate to seek justice for the damages you or your loved ones have suffered!
Friday, March 20, 2009
9 Reasons People Cheat
Why do I find it so easy not to cheat?
Maybe I'm not very attractive, so my options are limited. Maybe I'm too jaded to go for the cheating opportunities. Maybe I still have some mental wounds lingering from when my dad temporarily moved out because he had met another woman. Maybe I'm too afraid that I've reached my sin quotient and one more big sin will keep me out of heaven.
Cheating is not a caught in the moment thing if you are really into your significant other, you miss them when you are not with them, you don't look for a way to hurt or deceive them.
I am just now patching up a friendship with someone I was seeing while they had a boyfriend (that may make me a cheater). At different points she told me that she had broken up with her boyfriend, that they were back together, and that he was boring and I was fun. It was total confusion.
I told her she wasn't being fair to herself, me, or him.
Finally, she said, "you just don't understand, there are things you don't know." Thing is she's been cheating on him for a couple of years with different guys, and he keeps taking her back.
So, are cheaters born cheaters, or do certain situations cause people to cheat? Probably a little bit of both. Here are some situations that make people cheat:
1. Bored
I'd say this is the most common reason that people cheat.It's tough to keep that edge throughout a relationship. Things start off grand and then level off and then you both realize that it's still real life. When you meet someone else, that inaugural excitement of a new relationship kicks back in.
2. Dependence
At first glance, cheating seems like independent behavior. It could be interpreted as doing what you want, when you want. But I would argue that cheating is a dependent behavior. A cheater is dependent because they are not strong enough to break up with their significant other in order to get with the new person.
3. Confusion
Sometimes life or a particular situation can get to you. When the perfect storm of confusion is going on in your head, you make mistakes.
4. Because They Let You
If any girl ever cheated on me, I'd break up with her immediately. Forgiving a cheater is putting up with it, and starts a vicious cycle. That person who cheated may lose respect for you and might continue to cheat-because they know they can get away with it, because you'll continue to take them back.
5. Nurturing
If someone is mistreating you, then your first instinct is to get away from him or her. But sometimes it's not that simple-maybe you are raising kids together. If you feel trapped in a bad relationship, it's only natural that you will run to the open arms of a person who treats you well.
6. Revenge
This is quite simple- an eye for an eye. Cheat on them if they cheat on you. If they continuously hurt you or abuse you in some way, you do it to get them back.
7. Confirmation of Attractiveness
Sometimes when you're in a long relationship, or if your significant other is taking you for granted, you begin to wonder if you're still attractive. Perhaps, because you were out on the dating circuit, you felt more attractive when you were single. If you have an affair, you've proven that a new person can be attracted to you.
8. The Thrill
Some people just enjoy the thrill of cheating: running around secretly, risking getting caught, andcreating thrilling moments with a forbidden romance.
9. They Don't Consider It Cheating, Even Though You Might
Relationships have that grey area, usually right before you become exclusive. He thinks date #4 is when you're "together," and you think date #2 is when you're "together." If you haven't talked about exclusivity, someone may think they are well within their rights to see other people, even though the other person in the relationship may not.
I don't understand why people don't break up as soon as they have an urge to cheat. Is it natural to have temptation, or is temptation a sign that the relationship is losing its fire? What reasons would you add to this list, and do you disagree with any? If you've ever cheated, why did you do it? Could you forgive a cheater? If you are single, but seeing a person who is in a committed relationship, does that make you a cheater?
Maybe I'm not very attractive, so my options are limited. Maybe I'm too jaded to go for the cheating opportunities. Maybe I still have some mental wounds lingering from when my dad temporarily moved out because he had met another woman. Maybe I'm too afraid that I've reached my sin quotient and one more big sin will keep me out of heaven.
Cheating is not a caught in the moment thing if you are really into your significant other, you miss them when you are not with them, you don't look for a way to hurt or deceive them.
I am just now patching up a friendship with someone I was seeing while they had a boyfriend (that may make me a cheater). At different points she told me that she had broken up with her boyfriend, that they were back together, and that he was boring and I was fun. It was total confusion.
I told her she wasn't being fair to herself, me, or him.
Finally, she said, "you just don't understand, there are things you don't know." Thing is she's been cheating on him for a couple of years with different guys, and he keeps taking her back.
So, are cheaters born cheaters, or do certain situations cause people to cheat? Probably a little bit of both. Here are some situations that make people cheat:
1. Bored
I'd say this is the most common reason that people cheat.It's tough to keep that edge throughout a relationship. Things start off grand and then level off and then you both realize that it's still real life. When you meet someone else, that inaugural excitement of a new relationship kicks back in.
2. Dependence
At first glance, cheating seems like independent behavior. It could be interpreted as doing what you want, when you want. But I would argue that cheating is a dependent behavior. A cheater is dependent because they are not strong enough to break up with their significant other in order to get with the new person.
3. Confusion
Sometimes life or a particular situation can get to you. When the perfect storm of confusion is going on in your head, you make mistakes.
4. Because They Let You
If any girl ever cheated on me, I'd break up with her immediately. Forgiving a cheater is putting up with it, and starts a vicious cycle. That person who cheated may lose respect for you and might continue to cheat-because they know they can get away with it, because you'll continue to take them back.
5. Nurturing
If someone is mistreating you, then your first instinct is to get away from him or her. But sometimes it's not that simple-maybe you are raising kids together. If you feel trapped in a bad relationship, it's only natural that you will run to the open arms of a person who treats you well.
6. Revenge
This is quite simple- an eye for an eye. Cheat on them if they cheat on you. If they continuously hurt you or abuse you in some way, you do it to get them back.
7. Confirmation of Attractiveness
Sometimes when you're in a long relationship, or if your significant other is taking you for granted, you begin to wonder if you're still attractive. Perhaps, because you were out on the dating circuit, you felt more attractive when you were single. If you have an affair, you've proven that a new person can be attracted to you.
8. The Thrill
Some people just enjoy the thrill of cheating: running around secretly, risking getting caught, andcreating thrilling moments with a forbidden romance.
9. They Don't Consider It Cheating, Even Though You Might
Relationships have that grey area, usually right before you become exclusive. He thinks date #4 is when you're "together," and you think date #2 is when you're "together." If you haven't talked about exclusivity, someone may think they are well within their rights to see other people, even though the other person in the relationship may not.
I don't understand why people don't break up as soon as they have an urge to cheat. Is it natural to have temptation, or is temptation a sign that the relationship is losing its fire? What reasons would you add to this list, and do you disagree with any? If you've ever cheated, why did you do it? Could you forgive a cheater? If you are single, but seeing a person who is in a committed relationship, does that make you a cheater?
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Mayville man charged for allegedly selling pain pills
The Reporter Staff
JUNEAU — A 19-year-old Mayville man accused of selling painkillers to a police informant has been charged.
Cody Moore was charged with one count of delivery of a narcotic during his initial appearance in Dodge County Circuit Court on Tuesday.
If convicted as charged, Moore faces up to 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Moore admitted that he sold nine Vicodin tablets during a pre-arranged buy on Sept. 20, 2008, in Mayville. Moore told police the medication was prescribed for him following surgery, and he didn't know it was illegal to sell it to someone else, according to the criminal complaint.
Moore, who is free on a $1,000 signature bond, is expected back in court on April 30 for a preliminary hearing.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your opiate dependency and get your life back. Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353 Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine. Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine.
JUNEAU — A 19-year-old Mayville man accused of selling painkillers to a police informant has been charged.
Cody Moore was charged with one count of delivery of a narcotic during his initial appearance in Dodge County Circuit Court on Tuesday.
If convicted as charged, Moore faces up to 15 years in prison and a $50,000 fine.
Moore admitted that he sold nine Vicodin tablets during a pre-arranged buy on Sept. 20, 2008, in Mayville. Moore told police the medication was prescribed for him following surgery, and he didn't know it was illegal to sell it to someone else, according to the criminal complaint.
Moore, who is free on a $1,000 signature bond, is expected back in court on April 30 for a preliminary hearing.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your opiate dependency and get your life back. Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353 Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine. Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Court today for doctor suspected of prescription drug fraud
RIVERSIDE, CA. - A Coachella Valley-area physician accused of stealing patients' identities and faking other doctors' signatures to obtain thousands of prescription painkillers is slated to be arraigned Wednesday in Riverside County Superior Court.
Dr. Lisa Michelle Barden, 39, is charged with 276 felonies, including burglary, forgery, identity theft and being in possession of controlled substances. She has been free on bail.
The obstetrician-gynecologist was arrested in January following a yearlong investigation headed by the California Department of Justice.
According to investigators, between February 2007 and December 2008, Barden illegally acquired more than 30,000 pills, primarily Vicodin and OxyContin.
It's unclear whether the doctor had a physical impairment that required painkillers at any point during that time.
The Rancho Cucamonga woman worked at several Palm Springs medical clinics and allegedly used the identities of 15 patients to fill prescriptions allegedly written out on other doctors' drug pads -- allegedly with the forged signatures of the victimized physicians, according to authorities.
Barden visited 43 pharmacies on 131 occasions to get her drugs, according to an investigation by the state Department of Justice's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement.
The mother of three became the focus of an investigation after several pharmacists alleged Barden was showing up to retrieve prescriptions under different names. Several pharmacists apparently turned her away.
Barden is also being investigated for allegedly filing a false workers' compensation claim which paid out $62,000.
The defendant was last employed at the Bright Women's Center in Whittier.
Barden could have her medical license suspended, depending on the outcome of hearings by the state Medical Board, authorities said.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your opiate dependency and get your life back. Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353 Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine. Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine.
Dr. Lisa Michelle Barden, 39, is charged with 276 felonies, including burglary, forgery, identity theft and being in possession of controlled substances. She has been free on bail.
The obstetrician-gynecologist was arrested in January following a yearlong investigation headed by the California Department of Justice.
According to investigators, between February 2007 and December 2008, Barden illegally acquired more than 30,000 pills, primarily Vicodin and OxyContin.
It's unclear whether the doctor had a physical impairment that required painkillers at any point during that time.
The Rancho Cucamonga woman worked at several Palm Springs medical clinics and allegedly used the identities of 15 patients to fill prescriptions allegedly written out on other doctors' drug pads -- allegedly with the forged signatures of the victimized physicians, according to authorities.
Barden visited 43 pharmacies on 131 occasions to get her drugs, according to an investigation by the state Department of Justice's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement.
The mother of three became the focus of an investigation after several pharmacists alleged Barden was showing up to retrieve prescriptions under different names. Several pharmacists apparently turned her away.
Barden is also being investigated for allegedly filing a false workers' compensation claim which paid out $62,000.
The defendant was last employed at the Bright Women's Center in Whittier.
Barden could have her medical license suspended, depending on the outcome of hearings by the state Medical Board, authorities said.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your opiate dependency and get your life back. Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353 Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine. Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine.
Mom, Son Charged In Prescription Drug Ring
MENTOR, Ohio - A Mentor mother and son are accused of being the leaders of a prescription drug ring.
Police said the mother, 42-year-old Shari Carter, would call in prescriptions for Vicodin around Lake County, then the pills would be sold on the street for profit.
The former pharmacy technician would pretend to be a medical assistant and call in her own prescriptions using the real identification of a doctor.
But her scheme unfolded when she made a mistake on one of the prescriptions.
"When her treatment ended she just continued on pretending to be the doctor's medical assistant over the phone, calling in large quantities of Vicodin," said Lake County Narcotics Agency Investigator Chris Begley.
A neighbor of the suspects, who didn't want to be identified, was shocked.
"It's rather quiet. We moved here due to the fact it was very low key, not much happens, so it is rather surprising," the neighbor said.
According to police reports, Carter would order large quantities of pain medication, as many as 240 pills at a time.
Police said Carter and her son, 19-year-old Peter Hernandez, called in phony prescriptions to various pharmacies in Mentor, Mentor-On-The-Lake and at a Giant Eagle in Painesville Township and sold roughly $20,000 worth of drugs.
The two were arrested after Carter made a mistake in some dispensing instructions, prompting the pharmacist to double-check with the doctor, police said.
Investigators said Carter used her Medicaid to pay for the drugs, meaning it’s a crime that cost taxpayers money.
Carter, Hernandez and a third suspect are charged with several felonies for the fake prescriptions and for using Medicaid to pay for them.
They are scheduled to appear in Painesville Municipal Court next Tuesday.
If convicted, they face up to five years in prison.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your Addiction and get your life back.
Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353
Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com
Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine.
Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine
Police said the mother, 42-year-old Shari Carter, would call in prescriptions for Vicodin around Lake County, then the pills would be sold on the street for profit.
The former pharmacy technician would pretend to be a medical assistant and call in her own prescriptions using the real identification of a doctor.
But her scheme unfolded when she made a mistake on one of the prescriptions.
"When her treatment ended she just continued on pretending to be the doctor's medical assistant over the phone, calling in large quantities of Vicodin," said Lake County Narcotics Agency Investigator Chris Begley.
A neighbor of the suspects, who didn't want to be identified, was shocked.
"It's rather quiet. We moved here due to the fact it was very low key, not much happens, so it is rather surprising," the neighbor said.
According to police reports, Carter would order large quantities of pain medication, as many as 240 pills at a time.
Police said Carter and her son, 19-year-old Peter Hernandez, called in phony prescriptions to various pharmacies in Mentor, Mentor-On-The-Lake and at a Giant Eagle in Painesville Township and sold roughly $20,000 worth of drugs.
The two were arrested after Carter made a mistake in some dispensing instructions, prompting the pharmacist to double-check with the doctor, police said.
Investigators said Carter used her Medicaid to pay for the drugs, meaning it’s a crime that cost taxpayers money.
Carter, Hernandez and a third suspect are charged with several felonies for the fake prescriptions and for using Medicaid to pay for them.
They are scheduled to appear in Painesville Municipal Court next Tuesday.
If convicted, they face up to five years in prison.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your Addiction and get your life back.
Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353
Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com
Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine.
Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Test kit highlights possible rise in prescription drug use among kids
As if it isn't enough for parents to worry about whether their teenager is using marijuana, cocaine or crystal meth, a new drug-testing kit presents parents with the option of testing their children for prescription drug use, too.
With a quick snip or a clump of hair, parents can find out within days whether a child has dipped into the family medicine cabinet, has tried cocaine in the past three months, uses crystal meth on the weekends, or is taking painkillers on a daily basis.
"Prescription drugs are so accessible to kids. They're in the medicine cabinet, so they don't really think it's dangerous for them," said Zeynep Ilgaz, president and co-founder of Confirm BioSciences, the California-based maker of the home drug-testing kits.
"Kids think it's a safe way to get high because they're not illegal."
Ilgaz said prescription drug abuse, particularly of OxyContin and Vicodin, is on the rise in the United States.
There are few Canadian statistics on the number of people who abuse prescription drugs, but the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse says available evidence suggests Canadians are among the heaviest consumers of psychotropic medication in the world. And a recent study found indications that non-medicinal use of prescription opioids is increasingly replacing heroin.
The drug-testing kit tests hair for seven illicit drugs and five prescription drugs, including Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet and Dilaudid. The company requires 80 to 100 strands of hair for the test, which will show how much of each drug has been consumed in the past three months.
"We want it to be cut as close to the root as possible, definitely not pulled out. That would definitely hurt," Ilgaz said.
A version of the test that did not include prescription drugs was made available in Canada in late 2007. The new version was made available in Canada in December, and Ilgaz says it is selling well.
Most of the customers are parents buying the kits to test their children, but Ilgaz said it is also being used in custody battles when one parent suspects the other of drug abuse. When Britney Spears made headlines in 2007 for impulsively shaving her head, there was speculation that it was to avoid drug testing in a custody battle with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.
Some parents buy the kit only to put it on the kitchen counter as a threat, Ilgaz said.
The hair-test kit conjures images of parents surreptitiously yanking hairs from a sleeping teenager's head, or pulling them from a hair brush after the child has left the house. But because the test requires more than 80 strands of hair, it makes it very difficult to gather a sample without consent.
"We definitely don't recommend (pulling strands from a hairbrush) for so many reasons," Ilgaz said.
"First of all, communication is the No. 1 thing a parent should do. A hair drug test or any drug test is not the solution to a problem. It's just a tool to see if the kids are on drugs.
"And from a test perspective, we do want it cut from the head. When you get it from a brush the hair on the brush is already worn out. We don't know which part is the root end and it might be mixed up with somebody else's hair. There are so many factors that can lead to false results."
Micheal Vonn, policy director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, finds the drug testing kit worrisome because she believes it contributes to a growing desire by parents to monitor their children at all times.
"The whole scenario to start with is predicated on the notion that parents should not trust their children, that open fair and frank dialogue is somehow inadequate in a familial setting," Vonn said.
"Certainly it's troubling, and we're going to see more and more of this if we fail to grapple with it now."
Prescription pills are not available to kids only via their parents' medicine cabinets and through their friends. Certain painkillers are sold on the streets, with mark-up values of up to 7,000 per cent.
A 1998 study in Vancouver found that one Dilaudid tablet costing 32 cents through a pharmacy had a street value of $32. Dilaudid is a derivative of morphine and is three times stronger than heroin.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your opiate dependency and get your life back.
Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353 Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com
Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine. Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine.
With a quick snip or a clump of hair, parents can find out within days whether a child has dipped into the family medicine cabinet, has tried cocaine in the past three months, uses crystal meth on the weekends, or is taking painkillers on a daily basis.
"Prescription drugs are so accessible to kids. They're in the medicine cabinet, so they don't really think it's dangerous for them," said Zeynep Ilgaz, president and co-founder of Confirm BioSciences, the California-based maker of the home drug-testing kits.
"Kids think it's a safe way to get high because they're not illegal."
Ilgaz said prescription drug abuse, particularly of OxyContin and Vicodin, is on the rise in the United States.
There are few Canadian statistics on the number of people who abuse prescription drugs, but the Canadian Centre on Substance Abuse says available evidence suggests Canadians are among the heaviest consumers of psychotropic medication in the world. And a recent study found indications that non-medicinal use of prescription opioids is increasingly replacing heroin.
The drug-testing kit tests hair for seven illicit drugs and five prescription drugs, including Vicodin, OxyContin, Percocet and Dilaudid. The company requires 80 to 100 strands of hair for the test, which will show how much of each drug has been consumed in the past three months.
"We want it to be cut as close to the root as possible, definitely not pulled out. That would definitely hurt," Ilgaz said.
A version of the test that did not include prescription drugs was made available in Canada in late 2007. The new version was made available in Canada in December, and Ilgaz says it is selling well.
Most of the customers are parents buying the kits to test their children, but Ilgaz said it is also being used in custody battles when one parent suspects the other of drug abuse. When Britney Spears made headlines in 2007 for impulsively shaving her head, there was speculation that it was to avoid drug testing in a custody battle with her ex-husband, Kevin Federline.
Some parents buy the kit only to put it on the kitchen counter as a threat, Ilgaz said.
The hair-test kit conjures images of parents surreptitiously yanking hairs from a sleeping teenager's head, or pulling them from a hair brush after the child has left the house. But because the test requires more than 80 strands of hair, it makes it very difficult to gather a sample without consent.
"We definitely don't recommend (pulling strands from a hairbrush) for so many reasons," Ilgaz said.
"First of all, communication is the No. 1 thing a parent should do. A hair drug test or any drug test is not the solution to a problem. It's just a tool to see if the kids are on drugs.
"And from a test perspective, we do want it cut from the head. When you get it from a brush the hair on the brush is already worn out. We don't know which part is the root end and it might be mixed up with somebody else's hair. There are so many factors that can lead to false results."
Micheal Vonn, policy director of the B.C. Civil Liberties Association, finds the drug testing kit worrisome because she believes it contributes to a growing desire by parents to monitor their children at all times.
"The whole scenario to start with is predicated on the notion that parents should not trust their children, that open fair and frank dialogue is somehow inadequate in a familial setting," Vonn said.
"Certainly it's troubling, and we're going to see more and more of this if we fail to grapple with it now."
Prescription pills are not available to kids only via their parents' medicine cabinets and through their friends. Certain painkillers are sold on the streets, with mark-up values of up to 7,000 per cent.
A 1998 study in Vancouver found that one Dilaudid tablet costing 32 cents through a pharmacy had a street value of $32. Dilaudid is a derivative of morphine and is three times stronger than heroin.
Call us today to discuss how the V.I.P. Way can free you from your opiate dependency and get your life back.
Call today: (800)276-7021 or (702)308-6353 Email: info@rapiddetoxlasvegas.com
Medical Director: Board-Certified by American Board of Anesthesiology 1994, former chief of cardiac anesthesia, University of Nevada School of Medicine. Board-Certified by American Board of Pain Medicine 1997, Clinical Assistant Professor University Nevada School of Medicine.
Monday, March 16, 2009
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