May 21, 2012

DHEC investigating drug fraud case

Seven employees at Piedmont Cardiology Associates in Greenwood are accused of illegally obtaining prescription medications.

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control is investigating the case. Those charged are listed as  Stacy Berry and Angela Creswell, both of Ninety-Six; Audrey Robinson, Sandra Aliffi, Annie carter, and Janet Prevette, all of Greenwood; and Hillary Rexrode of Cross Hill.

Most of the instances of alleged fraud took place at Carolina Community Pharmacy in Greenwood County. The prescriptions were phoned in and attributed to doctors who did not prescribe the medications.

The pharmacy alerted DHEC about the suspect fraud. DHEC regulates controlled substance distribution in the state.

The medications the women are accused of fraudulently obtaining include hydrocodone and dextroamphetamine.

Legal expert says SC should wait until Arizona case is finished (AUDIO)

An expert on immigration law says a federal judge’s decision to restrict parts of Arizona’s controversial law has implications for other states like South Carolina.

University of South Carolina assistent law professor Marsha Zug says the part of the law that was not stopped may eventually become proposals in other states.

Zug says that Judge Susan Bolton made the right decision when she blocked part of the new law that would require officers to check a person’s immigration status if they were enforcing other laws. Judge Bolton also blocked officers from making warrantless arrests of suspected illegal immigrants. Zug believes that the Arizona issue will end up in the Supreme Court.

The law professor says the part of the Arizona law that may be adopted by other states is a ban on employers hiring day workers, like those picked up on the side of the road.  “But, ” she says, “ South Carolina should wait and see what happens with the final outcome of the Arizona case before it plans legislation.”

AUDIO: Zug on immigration laws (2:04)

Zug says Arizona officials believe they have one of the worst levels of undocumented illegal immigration in the country, so she says they have a reason to take a stand.