13 PA Individuals Accused Of Passing Fake Prescriptions For Painkillers Face Charges

Harrisburg, PA (WorkersCompensation.com) - Attorney General Kathleen G. Kane announced today that 13 people, accused of passing bogus prescriptions at several Washington County pharmacies, will face criminal charges. Four were charged last week by the Attorney General's Office, and yesterday Pennsylvania State Police charged the remaining 9 defendants.

Evidence and testimony in the case were presented to a statewide investigating grand jury, which recommended the filing of charges.

The defendants used fake prescriptions to illegally purchase more than 37,000 pills between Feb. 22, 2010 and Dec. 5, 2012, according to the grand jury.

Investigators say most of the bad prescriptions were passed at Kuzy's Drug Store, Bentleyville, Washington County. However, bogus prescriptions were also passed at The Medicine Shop, Walgreens, Rite Aid, CVS, Wal-Mart, and Pleasant Hills Apothecary.

Kane says this is an ongoing investigation and more arrests are expected.

Kane thanked the Washington County District Attorney's Office, the Pennsylvania State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the United States Department of Labor and Industry for their assistance with the investigation.

The case will be prosecuted in Washington County by Senior Deputy Attorney General Jeffrey Baxter of the Attorney General's Medicaid Fraud Control Section and Deputy Attorney General Kara Cotter of the Attorney General's Insurance Fraud Section.

The four defendants charged by the Attorney General's Office are:

--Mark Uniatowski, 48, 123 Champion St., McDonald, Washington County, is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge, one count of possession of a controlled substance, one count of conspiracy, one count of forgery, and one count of identity theft.

--Jordan Bular, 25, 335 Lincoln Ave., Bentleyville, Washington County, is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge - one count of conspiracy - one count of forgery, and one count of identity theft.

--Edward Zupancic, 49, 311 Urguhart Road, Scenery Hill, Washington County, is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge - one count of conspiracy - one count of forgery, and one count of identity theft.

--Leann Sachek, 45, 1010 Brush Run Road, Washington, Washington County, is charged with one count of possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, forgery, deception or subterfuge - one count of provider prohibited acts - one count of forgery - one count of identity theft - one count of theft by deception, and one count of conspiracy.

Share This Article: