4 Members Of Opioid Ring On The Run

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Jeannine Gomez, De’Aundray J. Frazier, Latisha Shelice Stennis, Patrick Lee Hargett [Photos courtesy AZ AG]

Four of eleven people indicted by a State Grand Jury for their alleged involvement in an opioid ring are currently on the run. Jeannine Gomez, De’Aundray J. Frazier, Latisha Shelice Stennis, and Patrick Lee Hargett are wanted by the Attorney General’s Office.

The group is accused of stealing the identities of nurse practitioners and doctors in order to write fake prescriptions.

According to the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, a complaint was received from a nurse practitioner who believed that his personal identifying information may have been used to write fake prescriptions for Oxycodone in March 2018.

WANTED: Jeannine Gomez, 40 Latisha Shelice Stennis, 24 De’Aundray J. Frazier, 30 Patrick Lee Hargett, 41
ARRESTED: David Edward Bektashi, 49 Emily Ruth Richardson, 38 Julie Ann Adams, 37 Cynthia Meeks Murphy, 68 Bryan James Kaminskas, 33 Michael Kenneth Taflinger, 42
SERVED WITH INDICTMENT: Anthony J. Harms, 44

During the investigation, David Edward Bektashi and Emily Ruth Richardson were allegedly found in possession of fake prescriptions from 16 different nurse practitioners and doctors. The investigation also identified 36 separate transactions where the defendants accused of filling fraudulent prescriptions for opioids.

The defendants face 125 felony counts, including Fraudulent Schemes and Artifices, Participating in a Criminal Syndicate, Assisting a Criminal Syndicate, Conspiracy, Aggravated Taking the Identity of Another, Acquisition of Narcotic Drugs by Fraud, Forgery, Taking the Identity of Another, Acquisition of Dangerous Drugs by Fraud, Possession of Dangerous Drugs, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

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The Arizona Attorney General’s Office conducted the investigation along with the Chandler Police Department, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the United States Drug Enforcement Administration, and the Mesa Police Department.

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