Prescription drug ring uncovered in Simi
By Kyle Jorrey kjorrey@theacorn.com

A tip from suspicious Simi Valley pharmacists has led to the arrest of seven individuals allegedly tied to a Palmdale-area drug ring suspected of fraudulently obtaining more than 11,000 highly addictive prescription pills, including Oxycontin and Vicodin.

According to Sgt. John Wilcox of the Simi Valley Police, information received by the department in August 2007 about a person using a fake ID to purchase prescription drugs in Simi ballooned into a yearlong investigation that eventually involved the California Department of Justice's Bureau of Narcotic Enforcement (BNE).

"We found out this was not an isolated incident but was going on all over the San Fernando Valley and further out," Wilcox said. "Our investigator on this case just kept digging and digging, and the scope of the case just kept getting larger."

On Sept. 25, BNE agents served multiple arrest warrants and two search warrants at homes in Palmdale.

Those arrested include Josalyn Morales, Beverly Carter, Richard West, Danesha Bentley, Natassha Diaz, Phylicia Mitchell and the group's alleged leader, Ricky Washington.

Washington, according to the attorney general's office, "has a violent history, gang affiliation, and previous drug-trafficking arrests."

Charges for the group included transportation of a controlled substance, possession for sale of a controlled substance and obtaining a controlled substance by fraud.

California Attorney General Edmund Brown Jr. said in a press release the gang specialized in stealing the identities of local doctors, using them to write prescriptions for painkillers that have become increasingly popular on the streets.

"It's clear that street thugs are now learning new skills as sophisticated identity thieves," Brown said. "The seven individuals arrested today stole the identities of eight doctors and used them to write prescriptions for Oxycontin and Vicodin, (two) highly addictive substances."

Wilcox said the suspects in this case would either steal prescription pads from doctors' offices or go directly to the company who makes the pads pretending to be medical professionals.

"They had runners visiting doctors' offices daily, going to several different cities," Wilcox said. "Once they burnt up one source, they would move on to the next doctor."

The group allegedly stole the identities of dozens of other people as well, designating them as patients in order to fill fraudulent prescriptions. Law enforcement officials allegedly seized evidence Sept. 25 that the drug ring was planning to steal the identities of even more doctors and other individuals.

Wilcox said Simi Police has an officer who keeps in contact with pharmacists around town, giving them tips to spot illegal activity and in return receiving leads on possible crimes.

"If enough pharmacists got on board, then criminals would have a very difficult time getting their hands on these pills," Wilcox said. "Their involvement is vital in stopping this (trend)."

According to the attorney general's office, California is at the forefront of developing technology that makes it more difficult for prescription-drug rings to operate like the one busted in Palmdale.

The California Department of Justice, in coordination with the Bob and Alana Pack Foundation, has created a new, realtime prescription drug database that tracks information about all prescription drugs dispensed in California.

According to the latest DOJ "drug trends" report, Valium, Vicodin and Oxycontin are the most common pharmaceutical drugs obtained fraudulently.

The opiates Vicodin and Oxycontin are the two most abused pharmaceuticals in the United States, according to the Drug Enforcement Agency.